Some of the most memorable sketches featured on Fist of Fun – the cult BBC 2 series created by Stewart Lee and Richard Herring – involved the pair applying their double act dynamic to historical and biblical tales.
Almost a decade later, Lee’s Johnson and Boswell – Late but Live feels like a natural progression. It goes without saying that back in the day, Herring would have taken the role of James Boswell while Lee would have assumed the superior air of Samuel Johnson. Here, Miles Jupp and Simon Munnery respectively take on the roles, and the casting proves inspired.
Lee would perhaps blush at the comparison his show invites – after all, Johnson was ‘the greatest wit of the age’ while he is merely the 41st best stand-up ever. However, when Johnson pours scorn on his host country as an Edinburgh native might pour brown sauce on a deep-fried pizza supper, the two personas merge into a formidable comic creation.
When Johnson reacts with weary contempt to Boswell’s gleeful repetition of his best-known witticism, it’s easy to see where Lee – haunted as he is by cries of ‘moon on a stick’ – got his inspiration.
Scotland-bashing makes up a significant proportion of this frequently hilarious hour-long show, which features live drumming, bagpiping and the surprising appearance of a mouth organ. Fortunately, unlike Christian fundamentalists (who took ill-informed umbrage with Jerry Springer – The Opera), the Scots can take a ribbing. Only the roar of approval for mention of a certain airport baggage-handler exceeds the guffaws of laughter.
The ‘theatrical’ part of the show is perhaps the weakest section, but thanks to its sheer silliness, the use of interminable repetition and a perfectly deflating punchline, it is ultimately a success. The show concludes with a man eating an entire haggis live on stage. What more could discerning Traverse audiences possibly want?
Reviewed at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh Fringe 2007.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter