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