If last year’s Stewart Lee-penned historic character comedy Johnson And Boswell was a ramshackle, late-night treat, its successor is sadly rather closer to that inadvisable end of the evening kebab.
Miles Jupp and a dragged-up, white-faced Simon Munnery return to play Sir Walter Raleigh and Elizabeth I, but they’re not really afforded the chance to show the odd-couple chemistry of last year. It’s not a case of bad acting; rather a script that’s not a whole lot more than a slew of period-themed gags, puns and wordplay of decidedly mixed quality.
There’s jokes about potatoes, the Spanish, the Armada, and by and large they’re pretty chuckle-worthy; but we’ve all seen the second series of Blackadder. Lee-esque touches are present throughout – a cockeyed engagement with actual facts, a rather peculiar Jimmy Carr-based slideshow segment – but it doesn’t really add up to much. Maybe he was aiming for a knockabout, late-night looseness, but the most frustrating thing is that very occasionally it threatens to engage with the roots of Englishness. You can’t argue the talent of all involved, but it simply feels like a rush job.
Until Aug 25 (not 13), Udderbelly’s Pasture (V300), 10.35pm. www.underbelly.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian