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.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Stuart, Chortle
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter