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.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Bosco239, youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Wharto15, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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John Robins, Comedian
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com