In 1773 Samuel Johnson, the portly curmudgeon of English letters, accompanied James Boswell on a tour of the Scottish Highlands. The trip was a fruitful one, with each penning accounts of their trip, the Englishman documenting the gradual decay of the clan system and his Scottish companion chronicling their travels in a prelude to his great biography The Life of Johnson.
Two hundred and thirty-four years on, Stewart Lee has devised this modern day take on the pair’s gallivanting. ‘Johnson said all of these funny lines and they are as good as any stand-up now,’ says Lee. ‘I had read the two books about the Scottish travels and thought they would be great as a kind of chat show or a book launch.’ Simon Munnery, for Lee, is well cast as Johnson. ‘I had Simon in mind for Johnson from the start as he writes in a similar way to Johnson,’ he says. ‘I later bumped into Miles Jupp and thought his persona would suit Boswell perfectly. We’ve been talking about when you see Jonathan Ross interviewing Iggy Pop or someone he’s obsessed with and how he almost can’t believe he’s allowed to do it. Boswell following Johnson around, writing everything down, had something of the flavour of a star struck journalist. But it is also a story about friendship.’
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter