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.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Idrie, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Bosco239, youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mearecate, 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
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012