LOOKING more like Heath Ledger’s Joker than the Virgin Queen, Simon Munnery is, nevertheless, surprisingly, perfectly cast as Elizabeth I in this dementedly enjoyable follow-up to Late But Live with Boswell and Johnson. Once again he’s joined by Miles Jupp, as Sir Walter Raleigh, in a show scripted by Stewart Lee.
The result of all these stellar talents coming together is just a joy; a lavish, mad multimedia bash that recalls Munnery and Lee’s semi-legendary epic Cluub Z that debuted in Edinburgh way back in 1997.
Although this show doesn’t quite approach the scale of Cluub Z, it is quite understandable – that show played to packed houses every night yet still lost thousands. This one, you hope, might make a few quid.
Jupp cuts quite the dash as the resurrected Raleigh, obviously expecting a hero’s welcome in Scotland as he popularised both smoking and the potato. Without him, he says, our diet would consist merely of brown sauce and alcohol.
But when Munnery enters he commands the stage; his Elizabeth is a throwback to the Nietzschean übernerd he played in his League Against Tedium persona – overbearing, arrogant, insane and shockingly regal.
This supremely silly show is handsomely mounted and benefits immeasurably from some live authentic 16th-century music performed by a perfectly deadpan Jane Watkins as enslaved American Indian Prince Tinymeat (“mind of a child”).
While Elizabeth’s closing speech – a vain attempt to give this lunacy a point – doesn’t really work, it’s hardly worth complaining about. The Spanish Armada battle sequence alone is enough to make up for any minor flaws.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, 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
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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World Without End, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Bosco239, youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk