It is impossible to produce an irreverent historical comedy without inviting comparisons with Blackadder and this romp certainly knows it. Writer Stewart Lee even makes a pre-emptive strike by namechecking Baldrick and co’s authors Ben Elton and Richard Curtis. Maybe he should give them some royalties, too.
The tissue-thin plot involves Raleigh (Miles Jupp) wooing Queen Bess (cross-dressing Simon Munnery). After bragging about winning “Celebrity Cock-Fighting On Ice” his seduction technique falters. The potato-populariser promptly finds himself facing the chop.
And that is it. Numerous jokes feel as if they date back to 1600 and the cast often seems to be enjoying proceedings more than the audience. Amiable posho Jupp has a whiff of Stephen Fry about him, while Munnery’s gnomic one-liners sound smuggled in from his stand-up: “Violence is the only language the Spanish understand… and Spanish, of course.”
This is Stewart Lee going for broad laughs in silly rather than subversive mode. As history mash-ups go, it is harmlessly daft fun. The sight of two grown men wearing ships on their heads is worth the ticket price alone.
Croydon Clocktower, 16 October (020 8253 1030, www.croydonclocktower.org.uk).
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter