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