Where the Blackadder feared to tread – that is the territory occupied with resolution and wit by Simon Munnery and Miles Jupp in Stewart Lee’s take on the first Elizabethan age.
The plot of Elizabeth And Raleigh – passingly relevant as an excuse to move things along – has Raleigh wooing the Virgin Queen only to find her truculent, indeed downright vengeful, in the face of his romantic entreaties.
The Queen is played with the sort of comic force of persuasion that Munnery brought to his TV persona in Attention Scum! She/he repairs to her trampette to bounce off her anger while Miles Jupp – comically versatile in a Hugh Laurie vein – energetically counts the ways he loves her.
This is advanced panto fare – with knowing quips to the audience, sharp ad libs, mashed potato as a form of torture and soiled underpants as a makeshift crown. But amid the setpiece ribaldry, there’s nifty wordplay, dextrous acting, and, despite the odd codpiece gag, the script happily steers clear of the lowest common denominator.
The audience at Greenwich Theatre was not large and the wind outside was whipping and cold. The pair – old hands at this kind of thing – did a handsome job of warming an initially bewildered audience (what is this, we wondered as Raleigh gave us a slide show featuring Jimmy Carr), finally bringing us to our feet for a closing rendition of the national anthem.
God save this gracious queen.
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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World Without End, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter