Queen of Comedy: Eddie Izzard on 40 Years of Being Out
Ahead of a New Zealand tour, Eddie Izzard reflects on her solo Hamlet performance, classic stand-up routines, and living as Suzy. It might seem unfair to joke about laziness with Izzard, who has an extraordinary record: running 43 marathons in 51 days, then 27 marathons in 27 days six years later, followed by 31 marathons in 31 days—each while doing a stand-up show daily.
Currently, she is juggling two world tours performed in English, French, German, and Spanish. One is a solo show featuring Hamlet, where she portrays some 23 characters from Shakespeare’s longest play on a bare stage. The other tour, titled The Remix, is a stand-up comedy show that presents a greatest hits collection from several routines dating back to the 1990s, affirming her status as one of Britain’s greatest stand-up comedians.
However, teasing Izzard that The Remix is an easy route doesn’t hold up when she appears on a London-based Zoom call, sporting a large blonde ponytail and freshly applied lipstick. Her answers quickly reveal the depth and detail she brings to conversations.
"Any Izzard interview will include tangents mostly about Izzard thoroughly explaining things."
For instance, what starts as a discussion on Hamlet quickly evolves into a mini lecture on the history of British theatre before Shakespeare, tracing roots back to Roman times.
Eddie Izzard’s multifaceted career blends athletic endurance, theatrical ambition, and sharp comedic wit, making her a unique figure in entertainment.
"One is for a solo Hamlet, in which she performs some 23 roles from Shakespeare’s longest play on a bare stage."
Her comedy tour The Remix revisits iconic routines from decades past, showcasing her timeless humor across multiple languages and cultures.
Author’s Summary
Eddie Izzard masterfully combines marathon-running stamina, theatrical skill, and sharp comedy in a career spanning four decades and multiple languages.