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