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