Stewart Lee’s celebration and demolition of the 18th-century double act Johnson and Boswell is not so much a play as a conceit, but it’s a clever one. Taking the form of a 20th-century book launch for Boswell’s tome, it has the puppyish Boswell (Miles Jupp) trying to get Johnson to perform, as much in the interests of commerce as hero worship. Billing Johnson as “the greatest wit of our day and yours”, Boswell incriminates himself as he announces with glee: “I wrote down everything he said – and sold it.”
Astonished that the Scots might be found at any literary event, man of letters Johnson (Simon Munnery) refuses to play the celebrity book-signing game and makes his lack of pleasure at being back in Scotland quite clear. “As a dog returns to his vomit, so I have returned to the land of the deep-fried pizza,” he declares. His response to the “Welcome to Scotland” road signs is to drawl dryly, “Indeed, you are welcome to Scotland.” As eagerly as Boswell lauds his birthplace, Johnson puts it down: “To say that a Scot speaks English is to say a dog eats a bone – when he merely mauls it.”
To a great degree, this is just a stand-up set with costumes taking place in a theatre. Those with little knowledge of the duo may be slightly at sea, but the piece successfully transposes Johnsonian wit from one century to another as Johnson demolishes the Scottish way of life and speech. (“The Scots have no use for letters – particularly consonants.”)
There may be something more serious to be said about the nature of celebrity and mythmaking, but the pleasure here is in watching Jupp and Munnery play off each other. Any man who is tired of that is tired of life.
· Until August 26. Box office: 0131-228 1404.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.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
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter