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