Hmm… a woman played by a bloke? Sounds a mite Elizabethan and – hey, look! It is.
Our eponymous heroes in Late but Live: Elizabeth and Raleigh are ably portrayed by funny men Simon Munnery (Queen Elizabeth I) and Miles Jupp (Sir Walter Raleigh) in this gag-fuelled romp at the Tobacco Factory Theatre. And, yes, this show works splendidly if verbal slapstick is your thing.
The usual suspects – outsize codpieces and ruffs, gags of indeterminate gender – all do a decent job of setting the scene for Raleigh’s increasingly desperate seduction attempts on Her Majesty.
He is assisted by a coterie of fabulous bon mots: “My aim is the aim of an owl: to wit; to woo.”
Munnery, too, does a more than decent job of conveying the imperial quirks of royalty. He is by turns a querulous, handsomely flirtatious monarch – doubtless all things yer-actual historical Elizabeth was.
Don’t expect emotional volcanoes, Shakespeare it ain’t. Yet writer Stewart Lee does achieve a deft balance between surreal gags – throne with flashing lights, anyone? – and moments of tenderness between the players, ably assisted by Jane Watkins’ lilting music
And Jupp’s Raleigh, is a dapper, nippy adversary to his harsh-tongued Queen in what is more or less a slick war of stand-uppery designed to expose the anarchic workings of the human heart.
The avalanche of one-liners offer a refreshing cure for any working-day blues and give vital oomph to this tale of potatoes and executions.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Idrie, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Fears, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Sidsings000, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter