Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late but Live

Miles Jupp and Simon Munnery have not long finished a tour of ‘Johnston and Boswell: Late but Live’ written by Stewart Lee. Lee's latest creation sees Munnery and Jupp as 'Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late but Live'.

Along with Sir Walter (the potato) Raleigh and the Virgin Queen Elizabeth we meet the Aztec Prince Tinymeat (Jane Watkins), the Prince may not speak the Queen's English but he can play the dulcimer, mandolin, harpsichord, drum and organ.

Sir Walter sets the scene, we are in Elizabeth’s boudoir where she has asked for a personal audience with Raleigh, he is hoping she will finally declare her love and he will become her King. This is of course after he has utilised the new fangled technology to display all his achievements.

When finally the Queen appears poppers are exploded as she walks among her people distributing coins of the realm to her honest English subjects and other grubby peasants. As she will only walk in straight lines the first four rows of seating with no central isle cause a slight problem. She then goes on to extol or denigrate the other nations of the UK many European and commonwealth countries. She also has a surprise up her sleeve for Raleigh and his potatoes.

The winning combination of Stuart Lee's scripts, Simon Munnery's almost irreverent treatment of the play and Miles Jupp trying to keep things flowing to me is a magic mixture. A hilarious homage to hysterical history, see it if you can.

****

Sheila

Fringe Programme Page No

p 48

Company

Blue Box, Elanor Lloyd, Festival Highlights, Anthony Field Associates, Underbelly and Skullduggery

Venue Name and Number

Udderbelly's Pasture.  V

Dates and Times

31st  July  to  25th  August  22.35  to  23.35

Comedy 2008

Music 2008

Others 2008

Theatre 2008

Musicals 2008

press at one4review.co.uk