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.’
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter