LOOKING more like Heath Ledger’s Joker than the Virgin Queen, Simon Munnery is, nevertheless, surprisingly, perfectly cast as Elizabeth I in this dementedly enjoyable follow-up to Late But Live with Boswell and Johnson. Once again he’s joined by Miles Jupp, as Sir Walter Raleigh, in a show scripted by Stewart Lee.
The result of all these stellar talents coming together is just a joy; a lavish, mad multimedia bash that recalls Munnery and Lee’s semi-legendary epic Cluub Z that debuted in Edinburgh way back in 1997.
Although this show doesn’t quite approach the scale of Cluub Z, it is quite understandable – that show played to packed houses every night yet still lost thousands. This one, you hope, might make a few quid.
Jupp cuts quite the dash as the resurrected Raleigh, obviously expecting a hero’s welcome in Scotland as he popularised both smoking and the potato. Without him, he says, our diet would consist merely of brown sauce and alcohol.
But when Munnery enters he commands the stage; his Elizabeth is a throwback to the Nietzschean übernerd he played in his League Against Tedium persona – overbearing, arrogant, insane and shockingly regal.
This supremely silly show is handsomely mounted and benefits immeasurably from some live authentic 16th-century music performed by a perfectly deadpan Jane Watkins as enslaved American Indian Prince Tinymeat (“mind of a child”).
While Elizabeth’s closing speech – a vain attempt to give this lunacy a point – doesn’t really work, it’s hardly worth complaining about. The Spanish Armada battle sequence alone is enough to make up for any minor flaws.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Brighton Argus
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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FBC, finalgear.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter