|
|||||||||||||
|
Acts:
Friends and Sponsors:
|
Get high-res publicity image here Johnson and Boswell: Late But Live!
Boswell: Mr Johnson, I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it. Johnson: That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help. How do you top creating a global phenomenon that enraged the moral minority of Christian Voice and got the BBC accused of blasphemy? Well, if you’re the wilfully eclectic Stewart ‘Jerry Springer The Opera’ Lee, you bring the greatest double act of the 18th century back to their old stomping ground. Doctor Johnson is one of England’s greatest literary figures: poet, essayist, biographer, lexicographer, legendary curmudgeon and coffee house philosopher. In 1773 he was enticed by his Scottish friend James Boswell to accompany him on a tour through the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. Both published books based on the journey. Johnson described his experience of Scotland. Boswell described Scotland’s experience of Johnson. Now the two bilious bores take a quantum leap of 200 years to try and flog their travel guides to a whole new audience. Boswell hosts a book launch, interviewing Johnson, discussing Scotland ancient and modern, and taking questions from the audience. Haggis is eaten. Pipes are played. And sacred Highland cattle are ritually slaughtered. Ingenious casting sees the man behind The League of Tedium Simon Munnery as the Scots-loathing, dictionary-writing Dr Johnson and acclaimed stand-up Miles Jupp as the doctor’s tour guide and biographer Boswell. Their rapier-sharp wit and invective finds brand new contemporary targets as they ponder the changes and achievements of the ‘Scotchmen’ in the intervening period. This historically hilarious two-hander comes to the Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival following a sell-out Edinburgh Festival run at The Traverse and prior to re-tracing the great men’s steps by embarking on a Highland tour. Press Quotes 'Very naughty and utterly knowing fun' Herald ‘Literate, political, silly and funny' Scotsman ‘‘Snortingly funny’ - it's not a phrase to be found in Johnson's Dictionary, but it's the only way to describe it.’ Daily Telegraph |
||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 March- Sunday 23 March