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