Edinburgh is famous for its history and its comedy; Elizabeth and Raleigh provides both in a medley of cross-dressing, singing, and slideshows. At first we are welcomed by Sir Walter Raleigh (Miles Jupp), promoter of those two bastions of civilization; the potato and smoking. Raleigh’s opening monologue provides a brief overview of personal triumphs (through that quintessentially medieval medium of slideshow) and his plan to woo the ‘virgin’ queen and gain her hand in marriage. This falters at times and Jupp’s failed attempts at razor sharp delivery have little to fall back on in what amounts to a performance lacking energy and vivacity.
However Elizabeth (Simon Munnery) enters and the pace swiftly picks up, any member of the audience not from Englandshire being verbally attacked in the process. ‘To the Italians I say this: Rome wasn’t built in a day; it could have been if you talked less with your arms.’ Funny at first, this predictable stereotyping soon becomes tired and strikes of a laziness in the writing. Indeed much of the play conjures up images of a public school-boy humour complete with the cross dressing, crude sexual jokes and xenophobia mixed in with glimmers of wit and intelligence. The cavorting tone is also severed by an ending which becomes bizarrely serious. Surely this isn’t actually meant to be a comment on Elizabeth’s failure to conceive a child? The audience are thus left to file out baffled in what amounts to a very mediocre performance.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, 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
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com