Convivial and sardonic by turns, Miles Jupp and Simon Munnery take Stewart Lee’s well-judged script and proceed to deliver a delicious hour of fun.
Miles Jupp and Simon Munnery in the touring production of Johnson and Boswell – Late but Live
Combining all manner of stand-up, sketch and character-based comedies, this is costume drama with a big comedy boot up the bum.
Jupp is gently obsequious as James Boswell, the 18th century biographer of Samuel Johnson. Full of his own self-importance, he makes all manner of claims concerning his success in bringing Johnson back to life for the show – which is a signing tour for the new combined edition of Boswell’s The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Johnson’s A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland.
In Johnson, Munnery creates a character who is much more celebratory and full of himself. Under goading from Boswell, he applies his famed wit in caustic and inflammatory Anglophile comments about Scotland in general and Glasgow in particular. Comments which will, no doubt, change to fit the venues of the tour.
Literary comedy is introduced with a recreation of the pair’s voyage to Skye. Boswell hands around buckets of sea wrack for the audience to throw on to stage to help get him into the moment as he waxes bombastic about the dangers of their stormy journey. Johnson’s recollections are rather more succinct.
It’s not all egos, however. The pair play off musician Neil Maclure, who provides a solid underpinning of the comedy with music hall clatters on the drums and surprisingly eloquent comments from the pipes. Mia Flodquist’s clever costumes provide their own comic moments.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, 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
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter