“I am Doctor Samuel Johnson. You are not.” So Simon Munnery’s self-important Doctor Johnson introduces himself in this marvellous hour of satire, music and banter, staged as writer Stewart Lee explains, at the Traverse, when “it’s too late to put in another set”.
The main burden of the piece rests on the shoulders of Miles Jupp as James Boswell, who warms the audience up before Johnson arrives, and keeps the action rolling along. In full Bonnie Prince Charlie regalia, he intersperses his enthusiastic enumeration of his mentor’s wit and good qualities with snappy topical material and plenty of inside jokes for the Edinburgh crowd. Jupp is tremendously likeable, and works well both on his own and with Munnery.
The two-handed portion of the piece gets going with Johnson’s many sharp witticisms at the expense of the Scots, which provoke gales of laughter from the audience. Boswell begins by enjoying his idol’s comments, but his increasing frustration with the aspersions cast on his homeland lead to some of the funniest lines of the night. Munnery is perfect as the acerbic wordsmith, wringing the most out of the clever script and challenging anyone to disagree with him.
Stewart Lee has really surpassed himself with Johnson and Boswell, displaying the wry intelligence that has always been the hallmark of his stand-up routines. This thoroughly enjoyable work really demonstrates how to get it right when comedians start acting. Buy your tickets now!
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, 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
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net