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