Historical themes are not always the easiest for a theatre group to capture, what with actual facts always getting in the way. The best and worst of these attempts are here.
Warming himself to the audience like a cuddly chat show host, Sir Walter Raleigh, discoverer of worlds, champion of potatoes, begins with his particular brand of obsequious fawning for the greatness of others. Then behold, ladies and gentlemen, the bizarre, wonderful, crazed and incongruous introduction to what is Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late but Live.
Playing Raleigh with panache, wit and throwaway fun is Miles Jupp, whose perfect foil, Queen Elizabeth I, is played imperiously by Simon Munnery. The pairing of these two great comedians is like nothing else at the Fringe, and for those lucky enough to have seen Johnson and Boswell: Late but Live last year, expect more of the same weirdly madcap humour. Penned by Stewart Lee, the jokes in the show are the kind that produce great bubbles of joyous, unexpected laughter. A strong sense of the historical is mixed in with the best kind of modern silliness, and the heightened language only adds to the excellence of the base humour. This is the Fringe at its best, and those who witness Raleigh’s culinary humiliation are likely to agree.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Stuart, Chortle
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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John Robins, Comedian
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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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Meninblack, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk