After last year’s fringe success Johnson and Boswell: Late but Live, Stewart Lee returns to the Scottish capital having penned another historical reanimation, this time turning his comedic eye towards the infamous relationship between England’s supposed ‘Virgin Queen’, and her favoured courtier and probable lover, Sir Walter Raleigh.
However, where the former offering was well written and sharply performed, this show felt flat and half-baked by comparison. In setting a high standard last year, expectations were always going to be hard to live up to, and the night proved to be sadly underwhelming.
Miles Jupp plays the arrogant, caddish Raleigh without an ounce of depth, relying purely upon an exaggerated rakish stereotype. This, of course, can be extremely funny when used in moderation (think of Rik Mayall’s Lord Flashheart character in Blackadder), but suffers when it has to carry the majority of the show as the larger half of the double-act. Simon Munnery’s Elizabeth is slightly more interesting, providing many of the better gags, and constantly upbraiding the youthful suitor for his lack of regal respect.
The evening, however, is not unfunny. There are some nicely polished jokes about foreigners (the blurb for the show gleefully proclaims ‘xenophobia’ as one of its selling points), the unsurprisingly humourous man-in-draginnuendos, a brilliant scene about the Spanish Armada, as well as a few other hilarious set-pieces. Overall, though, there is too much of a lull between these peaks, with carelessly put-together transitions, and simply weak material. It’s not so much a bad night out as just a disappointing one.
If this play had been written by an up-and-coming student group, rather than an undeniable comic genius, then it could have been a worthy effort. Unfortunately, though, it seems to be a hastily cobbled together money-spinner looking to cash in on the Late but Live format’s previous acclaim. Let’s hope that, if he decides to wheel out another historical two-hander next year, Lee produces something much tighter, and far funnier.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, 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
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net