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