Stewart Lee’s celebration and demolition of the 18th-century double act Johnson and Boswell is not so much a play as a conceit, but it’s a clever one. Taking the form of a 20th-century book launch for Boswell’s tome, it has the puppyish Boswell (Miles Jupp) trying to get Johnson to perform, as much in the interests of commerce as hero worship. Billing Johnson as “the greatest wit of our day and yours”, Boswell incriminates himself as he announces with glee: “I wrote down everything he said – and sold it.”
Astonished that the Scots might be found at any literary event, man of letters Johnson (Simon Munnery) refuses to play the celebrity book-signing game and makes his lack of pleasure at being back in Scotland quite clear. “As a dog returns to his vomit, so I have returned to the land of the deep-fried pizza,” he declares. His response to the “Welcome to Scotland” road signs is to drawl dryly, “Indeed, you are welcome to Scotland.” As eagerly as Boswell lauds his birthplace, Johnson puts it down: “To say that a Scot speaks English is to say a dog eats a bone – when he merely mauls it.”
To a great degree, this is just a stand-up set with costumes taking place in a theatre. Those with little knowledge of the duo may be slightly at sea, but the piece successfully transposes Johnsonian wit from one century to another as Johnson demolishes the Scottish way of life and speech. (“The Scots have no use for letters – particularly consonants.”)
There may be something more serious to be said about the nature of celebrity and mythmaking, but the pleasure here is in watching Jupp and Munnery play off each other. Any man who is tired of that is tired of life.
· Until August 26. Box office: 0131-228 1404.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube