More pics HERE

Photo courtesy of Neill ( photo from UK tour)

Photos courtesy of Randy

REVIEWS FROM "CIRCLE"

San Francisco
(added 06.11.00, review by Cheryl)

Ahhhh, San Francisco, my new favorite city!

Setting: Curran Theater, Geary.
Weather: Perfect.

The theater was wonderful, quite a change from the one in Boston. Large stage, crazy lighting much more fantastic than I had seen before. The show started with a recording of someone saying "Are you seated comfortably... then I'll begin"
And comfortable we were, third row on the left side for Wednesday night and second row center on Friday night. The goatee from before was gone and the lipstick was back (so nice to see, I thought) and some wonderful silver nail polish that I really fancied. Charlton Heston being locked in a house with a monkey and a gun went over quite well, but somehow the comparing of vomitariums and McDondalds hit a nerve with someone in the
audience who went on with a long heckle starting with "you're talking about my home life" and went on and on. Eddie, gracious as ever, heard the man out and told him to improve his diction! Brilliant, and so swish.

I can't help but anticipate Darth Vader going to the cafeteria on the Death Start but that is not to come yet..." Why weren't there any British in Saving Private Ryan, they should have asked us, we knew where he was".  Ohhhh, by the middle of the show my cheeks were hurting, it's time for me to go on a smiley-laughter workout so I will be prepared for the next show. It seems no one in San Francisco knows what else monkeys eat besides bananas, well not that I knew but I still thought that was interesting.
But by Friday night they were eating kumquats too! You have to love the stoned olympics "the best chemist wins." Friday night Eddie came out with his right pant leg rolled up to his knee, and we kept waiting for it to become part of the act. It never did, and it amazingly enough stayed up through the entire show, even while the stoned olympians jumped the hurdles and shared pizza! Those boots go way up! Smashing! The audience was rather quiet and I could hear myself laugh, which was odd for me.

Darth Vader came out in the encore and his pant leg back down. Eddie toldus,"you know that wasn't supposed to be like that" and played it off with some very well done comments which I would share with you now but I have, to my dismay, forgotten them in any sense of the eloquence with which they were spoken. In closing, two wonderful shows the energy on stage was
mesmerizing and once again the power of Eddie's comedy was renewed.

After the show on Wednesday a group of us waited to see if we could catch a glimpse of Eddie, we waited for maybe 45 minutes and then were told to get moving, but I was on a mission.... you see in Boston, I had a picture taken of Eddie and I but my flash died that day unbeknownst to me. So needless to say, not a good picture. I told that to the security dude and showed him the picture and he told us that Eddie went to Toscas and we should go, he said it was opened to the public. We jumped in a cab (the most exciting five minute cab ride in my life) but when we got there, in the window was a big sign reading, "PRIVATE PARTY", and as I proceeded to drop the shirts I just bought from the show, I lost my composure and couldn't think of anything cool hip or groovey to say to the people standing at the door of the bar. No guts no glory, so no glory for me that night. I can hear what you are saying, but it's way too late to feel bad anymore, I spent the next day with that! Thursday, we didn't see the show but went to wait outside the stage door anyway, no dice.

But Friday, after the show we waited, not long, half hour maybe, and he came out, signed a few autographs and dashed to the hotel.... didn't say much, but made the appearance and made some fans nights.

San Francisco
(added 06.11.00, review by Sydne)

We thought the show was great. The lighting and the music was
fantastico, the audio and sound however...several times during his
monologues we couldn't understand Eddie at all. It wasn't as loud as it should've been definitely. Right before the lights came up and he walked out, we noticed someone standing by the curtains, with a video camera filming us! so we waved..and we thought that it was going to be filmed or something..come to find out when Eddie came out for the encore, he was holding the same 8 mm video camera to his eye and was filming all of us out in the crowd. He held the camera by his earpiece mic and we all heard the "whir" of it running. It was really funny because he was telling us to "stop looking like zombies upwards at him, and this time look completely crazy"..so we all screamed and we were waving our hands. We had excellent seats 6 rows from the front. We saw Eddie wearing all black accented with rhinestones down the leg of his pants. His boots were amazing. Black leather stiletto type heels. When
he was about to leave someone ran up to the front and threw a "Barbie" type doll on stage. He stops, looks down at it curiously.. picks it up and looks at all of us and says, "Well I don't normally play with dolls, I'm more of an ACTION Transvestite, really.. but thanks(??)" He walked off a little confused and perplexed staring at the doll. We had heard that the night before he did not come out after the show to sign autographs and meet his fans from this very nice woman we met while waiting to get in the theatre. We decided to hot foot it right after the end, and wait by the stage door. We were about 7th in line waiting.

We were waiting with the same woman we met before the show, who I might mention is handicapped and needs a cane to stand up. We waited about 1 hour and 45 minutes before someone came to tell us that he definitely wasn't going to come out this way, and wasn't going to sign anything. He was being interviewed and had about 12 personal friends he was with inside is what they told us, and basically shooed us off. We were very disappointed, and the handicapped woman looked practically in tears because it took so much for her to stand there for so long. I heard others talking about the show while standing there, and a few of the
people said that they thought he was really not focused on the show. They saw him just losing his train of thought during the show, as if he was tired. I personally had never seen him live, but thought he was wonderful, yet slightly off. I'd hate to have that much pressure on ME, as he has on himself. I'd be completely mad. I'm going to post this for all of you to read, and I am curious to hear from anyone else who may have been at the shows in SFO. Did anyone get to meet him or see him after any one of the shows? What did others think of the Sat night final show?

Seattle
(added 06.04.00, review by Andrea)

The suspicion is there, implicated by watching Iz videos. If I shall see Iz live, it will have to be in a small theatre picking a seat near to the stage. I have a vague notion why that might be, but I cannot exactly pinpoint it. So I pick Seattle.

Seattle has 55 days of sunshine and lucky us, we catch 10% of those. And what do you know, I have to go to the unlikeliest place in the north of the US, Seattle, to burn my face. I never catch a sunburn back home, in Hawaii. But it is well worth it, this lovely afternoon at the ocean with BZC and Kris. Witty, down-to-earth, smart and plain solving the world in 4 hours straight.

The first show I see Iz live is Thursday night. BZC, Kris and Patti are also in the audience. I surprise myself by being nervous for Iz to perform well, exactly the same feeling I have when one of mystudents has to give her first major scientific presentation. I muse about that and relax. The seat I have is perfect, first row. The lei (chain of ginger buds) around my neck reveals a dazzling smell of paradise. Iz walks on stage as he does. He seems to have a blast tonight. He sweeps the audience away. I find myself in a Farside comic, first you smile, then you giggle, then you take off exponentially and down-right crack up. I smile at his palm pilot. I giggle at his reference to snogging in lip-stick and smearing it all over the face (not a pretty sight, he comments). The four of us from the message board are the only ones hitting off with that in full (and you know why!!). And I crack up when he impersonates jelly fish and compares their stinging tentacles to the devil’s pubic hair. So does the audience. Crack up, I mean. Iz does not take an intermission and this is most ingenious. The atmosphere and energy level is easily preserved this way. Fridaynight we are joined by Meg and her sister and Patti’s sister and brother in law and it is like we’ve known each other forever. I feel cheated by ACT because I had bought a first row seat ticket, however, ACT had decided to add four additional front rows, thus de facto I am seated in row five. I decide to let it go and enjoy Iz from a different angle.So Iz walks on stage as he does. He seems more energetic tonight, though less personally involved than Thursday. And again that Farside feeling creeps up. It is a very different show from Thursday. He keeps the pillars of Athene, but it is clear that their furbishing has changed. I prepare myself for the riff about Thatcher and the derrogative four-letter ‘c’ word. I can see by now why it can make sense to use it, simply to make a political punchline work. However, there are so many female related derrogative words in our male dominated language with no equivalent counterpart for the masculine gender, that I cannot really enjoy this particular punchline. Admittedly, a tiny smile cannot be suppressed even by me.

Since I am a dwarf when seated (a.k.a. “I have long legs” - *snigger*), my seat in the fifth row does not allow me to catch many punchline-supporting gestures and I personally miss out on some frolics. At that moment I realize why for my part I find Izzard’s comedy outstanding: he is acting. His performance is not (only) about surreal punchlines and inherently funny gestures. I am watching an actor performing comedy.

The eight of us leave the theatre after the show to first share some friendly and quiet stage door interaction with Iz and later enjoy a cheerful dinner (of course without Iz). Personally  I might add that I am now ready  to see Izzard acting as Lenny on Broadway.
Cheers, Andrea

Vancouver
(added 05.30.00, review by Dorene)

My mind is stretched and twanged and my cheek muscles hurt. I must have just come....from an Eddie Izzard show! It was three nights at Vancouver's Granville Island Arts Club Theatre;a cool location on the water facing the city proper, and adjacent to a Theatre Sports improv.

The out-of-control (but NOT) amusement ride of unrelenting bollocks-on big, serious topics-carried me off into fits as usual.Topics like the Pope, the Universe, WWII, the NRA, and god. Also: spaniels, seals, pandas (Phil hit the Queen over the head with one) and Brontosaurus dinos--the ones you
can wind up at both ends like a towel. It was an intoxicating elixir when presented with Eddie's silly/sexy--and brilliant--mimes.
Treason, Blasphemy and ...Jam. What a delightful mix.

The house held 470, sold out all week. Intelligent, hip crowd. Tuesday it had been a week since his last show in Perth(Wow! West coast Oz) My neighbor in the front row said the PR crowd had been worried about Canada as a letdown after the rave in Australia. No worries mate.

His trend, as Chrissy has reviewed for the one night I didn't go, was to experiment with material. Mucho mas queries, sidetracks and self-assessments. Many notes to self on "palm pilot".

It opened with xylophone notes and circular, blue/green swirling patterns, then the pounding theme music.The usual regional name discussion about Capt.Vancouver; (and how America is a country called Jeff because we took Amerigo Vespucci's first name!)

Great bit on alternate national anthems for Canada at the Olympics, so people will root for them to win and play the catchy tune: Canada,Canada,Canada to the tune of "I want to be in America" from West Side Story;they loved it. Songs kept cropping up.Treason, Treason, Treason the bush kangaroo... to the tune of the Aussie TV show Skippy, when he jabbed the
royals.  Had the crowd join-in.The Queen Mother singing in the corner, and having her tongue grabbed by a Corgi that the Queen was swinging around her head!  That's why she can't object when they shoot her out of a cannon; they think she likes it! (These are the areas where I wet myself)

Then Lassie, Skippy, Flippy(FlippER) as smart animal heroes; added Drippy the faucet and Hippy--unintelligibley stony.
Often the "adlibs"-which you can't tell from the set bits, can you? would crack Eddie himself up.

He encouraged audience help on two nights but not Fri. A horse whinnying member did it one too many times; he said Next time I'll have to kill you. A guy yelled You've got the shoes for it! He smiled--They could load me in a huge catapult.  He asked Where's the hooker street in town? Many answers then
a yell "Life is a two way street" He offered OK then it's a barter
system;You give me a blowjob and I'll give you one. Lots of yells about hometowns; some lame yell about travel hassles; Eddie
said I guess you need a better car,or a plan. I offered," Or a brain. "He smiled and said,"The audience has gone a bit edgy" ,but in a fun way.

He did a very passionate tirade on Thatcher/Pinochet, deservedly so I feel, and the audience was right with him. Said it may not be comedy, but I'm going to do it.  Did make jokes on Thatcher having a chicken neck, and would run around if you lopped her head off--so she's the devil. Friday he growled "oh screw it" (about Pinochet) but then continued quickly anyway. Important global (and current) stuff really.

He checked himself a lot, sort of an internal discussion, berating/joking with himself for screw-ups, not setting-up a joke or not having an ending.  Sometimes those things become brilliant and inventive--(not always!) Method to his madness.

I loved how when god created dinosaurs (in the image of his cousin Ted) he was "Off his tits" That slays me for some reason--(or none.) And he's a lapsed Satanist-doesn't keep-up with the rituals! Lots on Pope Johnny the Two and Pope Sh**head the First who didn't condemn Hitler.

Thursday his rythmn was perfect. He applauded the audience then, and on Friday.

After the show: They were pulling out for Seattle, so five others and I hung around chatting, about Eddie, but mostly where we were from, etc. There was an English Mom and her two sons who live in Vancouver now. Two women from Texas.(Hi Melissa and Becky!) The boys were outgoing and fun, real fans.

Eddie and entourage came out mellow and grinny, riding on a happy wave it seemed.We did intros and photos,etc, then stood around in little groups and chatted. Easy.

My photo with him is meant to be the upbeat version from his Mona Lisa bit; cause he usually has the enigmatic smile in photos. Then Surprise! Capt. Smiley! What a treat.

I asked him to hang on to his soul in Tinseltown (cause they're heartless bastards) and he paid close attention. Answered thoughtfully that he would.I squeezed him hard and patted him. He's a smasher up close!

As we said goodnight and walked off, he yelled out Thanks guys.
How cool is that?

Perth!
(added 05.28.00, review by Daz)

Well it was a wet and windy night in Perth which seemed fitting for an evening with a comedian from the U.K and all off the ex poms living in west Australia who turned up to see Eddie. It was a packed house off approximately 3000 or so punters and it seemed every one had a great time. It was my first time I've had the pleasure to see Mr. Izzard and hopefully not the last. He entered to full techno [leftfield] wearing black slacks black top high heels and the red lippy and started to dribble his way through the evolution of man kind. Many references to the pope, god and a baby Jesus who would start with an English accent followed by Scottish and finishing as an Indian messiah. The best thing I thought of his act was the way he just continually amused himself and adlibbed his way through nearly three hours off very funny humour. It seemed to me as long as he was cracking up at his own jokes the crowd and himself was pleased as punch.  He did a very funny sketch about Charlton Heston and a Monkey with Guns.   Made many references about Australians and Perth people and animals etc. associated with the country.  It seems he has made a living by talking to himself, a practice his school teacher said it would get him nowhere.  The highlight of the night was a story about Darth Vader and living on the Death star trying to get a meal and recognition at the cafeteria.  Completely wet myself.  Was a great night and I think myself and many others now rant and rave to ourselves in a more carefree way. Can’t wait to see him again from a new fan.

Vancouver
(added 0526.00, review by Chrissy)

Saw Eddie on Wednesday night with a friend who had seen him in "Lenny" (because he was going to London last summer and I told him to see the show and he did! I love friends who obey you like that) but hadn't seen him do his own stand up.

Eddie was very upbeat, healthy and happy looking. He came out nearly on time and left the stage at 11:20.

He seemed to be more interested in improvising than scoring easy laughs with old punchlines. I got the feeling that these are his last few weeks to play before he tightens it up for L.A. and NYC.

He did something I'd never seen him do before, sort of deconstructed his show as he did it. If something didn't work, he'd explain why it hadn't worked and how it would be funnier the next day. Started telling a joke, then realized he hadn't set it up yet, told us that, set it up, then proceeded to the punchline.

A woman near the front got up and left through the side door (bathroom run) and he decided to wait in the wings and call out "BOO!" when she came back. So he stood there for about five minutes, still doing his God & Jesus bit (from behind the curtain) and commenting on whether he'd made the right choice to wait for her but had to keep doing it because he was committed now.

Anyway, she was eventually led in through another door on the other side of the theater by an usher (to great applause & laughter) and Eddie explained how he felt he'd failed to complete his mission to scare her and knew that we "all hate me a little bit now." but that was okay because "I hate THAT person now...not personally at all, but from a professional level."

I've had amazing luck at seeing Eddie on trips I was going to take anyway -- he seems to schedule his tour dates around MY travel plans. For which I thank him. This was actually the first time I'd traveled just to see him (a 2 hour drive from my house, big whoop).

I was rewarded; it was the best show I'd seen him do since I saw D2K in San Francisco in '98 and the weather was beautiful enough to go tromping through Stanley Park during the day and eat in outdoor cafes at lunch time.

Looking forward to seeing how Seattle audiences like him (only a 20 minute drive this time) next Saturday.

New York/Meeting Eddie
(added 04.17.00, review by Lynn)

Last June, I "discovered" Eddie Izzard. Yes, I know - that's when most of you discovered him, too. He hit me over the head like a ton of bricks - but you would have never been able to convince me that, less than a year later, I would be standing in his presence! So, for those of you, who haven't heard, here's the story.

Mark (my husband) arrived in NYC on April 6 - I had not been on an airplane in nearly 10 years - it took Eddie to get me there! We spent the first two days being real tourists - Letterman show, Riverdance - the usual. Of course, my mind was never far from Eddie and, after meeting people that I had only "known" over the internet, I was really about to lose what little mind I had left. I couldn't wait to see Eddie in person and I was hoping against hope that he would be signing autographs after the show. I was disappointed to learn that he hadn't been signing all week. Still, I was going to see him in the flesh, so I couldn't really complain.

The show that night (April 8) was fabulous. I don't know if he was "on" that night or not - it really didn't matter what he said or did - just to be sitting there, some 20 feet away from him was, dare I say it, glorious! We were close enough to see the sweat trickling down his face! The show started at 8:30 and went until about 10:45 - it seemed like it went by in about 5 minutes. I won't go into much about the show because you've all heard it before but I have to mention one thing. At one point, Eddie was discussing Thatcher and Pinochet and how all dictators should be killed if and when they leave their country. Someone behind us yelled out "Napoleon." Eddie looked his way and said, "What about him?" There was a little discussion bak and forth about this but finally Eddie said, "Well, he's dead." At this point my husband yells out, "Castro". Eddie stopped and looked directly at us - I have no idea how far he could see out into the crowd but he had obviously pinpointed exactly where the voice had come from. He stopped in his tracks, and said, "Castro. Hmmm, Castro." He said something else, then finally said something about George Washington overthrowing the British and how we seemed fine with that. Anyway, that little exchange was a thrill for me.

After the show, feeling absolutely elated and exhausted, I sought out some of the other folks who had been there all week and who were also staying at the Bed and Breakfast (namely Randy, Connie, Maria and Terry). I desperately asked if he was coming out or not, and was told no. So, all of us slowly made our way out of the theatre. The rest of the ladies started up the street, leaving my husband and me standing there, looking quite forlorn, I imagine. I didn't quite know what to do. Eddie, obviously, wasn't planning to come out but I had come so far to see him, my Dress to Kill book in hand. We decided to wait a little while and see what would happen.

Meanwhile, the wind was really starting to blow and it was turning cold. We were waiting on the sidewalk, right in front of the doors of the Westbeth. Then the woman who was the manager (or some such title) of the Westbeth came to the door (they were positioning a ramp for someone in a wheelchair). My nerves were shot but I asked her if there was any chance of Eddie coming out and signing autographs. She was very nice and said that she doubted it because he hadn't been doing it all week and he still wasn't feeling very well. Then she said something that made my heart absolutely leap in joy - she told us we could come back inside, if we wanted to! Well, we looked at each other, then back at her and, of course, we went back inside. At the time, there were maybe 20 people in there, but then the woman in the wheelchair and several people who were with her left, and that left about 10 or 12 people in the lobby of the Westbeth. For those of you who haven't been there, it is a tiny place. The lobby is a fairly small room, then there is a door that leads into the actual theatre, which isn't big at all. So, we waited, leaning up against the wall by the front door. After about 30 minutes or so had gone by, they began bringing luggage out and, literally, it was right at my feet. They didn't pay one bit of attention to it - I could've almost gone through it. Then, maybe 5 or 10 minutes later, I saw Eddie walk by the door that leads into the theatre. I let out a gasp, and my husband said, "did you see him?" I said, "Yes, but I'm afraid he's going out that other door."

Well, we (some of the people who were waiting) surged toward the door, I pulled back after I'd gotten up close because I didn't want to scare him off. I went back to where my husband was standing and just stood there, waiting as patiently as I could. In a few minutes, I heard my husband say, "Go on, go on." I looked up at him and said, "what?" and he said, "Eddie is right there in front of you." I hadn't even realized that he had come through the door! He was so tiny and had crammed a Nike baseball cap down on his head. There was a man in front of me who had two D2K books and I remember him asking Eddie if he was pushing his luck to ask him to autograph 2 books - Eddie looked at him like he was crazy - I don't think he said anything but he did sign both books. Then, it was my turn! As everyone on Bunch of Flowers knows, I became a complete idiot. It has taken me all this time to remember what happened. I already had my book open and had taken the top off of my sharpie pen. I said, "Hey, how are you?" (I am Southern so you need to drawl this out appropriately). He said, "Hey." (think of the computer segment of the Glorious video when he has broken into the Pentagon computer and shouts, Hey! Only imagine it spoken very softly) I vaguely remember handing him the book and him taking it - he must've taken it into his left hand, then put his right hand on top of the book. I remember very distinctly putting the pen into his fingers - he didn't reach up for it, I literally slid it into his hand and, yes, I touched his fingers. Then he said something I couldn't understand. I didn't know what to do - do I need to respond? Do I just stand here like an idiot? So, I said, "Pardon me?" I don't think he repeated what he said but I realized that he'd said, "this is going to be a scribble." I don't know if I said anything or not. He signed the book, "Love from Eddie" with a little kiss thingy at the bottom. I then said, thank you so much and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, my husband had been desperately trying to take a picture but the camera didn't want to focus - it was dark in the lobby. But, at some point, it flashed and Eddie said, "did you get it?" I don't know if either one of us answered him. As I walked toward my husband, he said, "I don't think the picture took." So, I wheeled around to Eddie (I'm only about 4 feet away from him at this point) and said, "Can I get another picture?" I am probably reading way too much into this, but he really looked like he hated to tell me no, but he said, "there are just too many people" (or something like that). I then said, "Okay, that's fine. Thank you very much." And then we left. I wonder if he was afraid that I was going to pitch a fit of some kind but that isn't my style. And, as you can see on Cake or Death, the miracle photo did come out!

When we got back to the Bed and Breakfast, there was a Cake or Death party going one and, of course, I had to show off my book. They all screamed as I stood there, without saying a word and opened my D2K book. They all thought, from the look on my face, that I had been mugged!

Some things I will always wonder: did he plan to come out that night and sign? Or did he decide that we were a non-threatening bunch? Did he realize that it was Mark who had yelled out "Castro" or could he not really see us? Does he understand what he does to us? Does he think of me still?!! Well, that's going a little too far, but, believe me, I will never forget that night and the thrill he gave me just by being a nice human being who was willing, even though he was dead tired, to share a little of himself with me.

Eddie, if you ever visit Cake or Death, thank you. You're the best.

Lynn (MoogieMLS@aol.com) Augusta, GA

New York
(added 04.12.00, review by Dorene)

New York, New York, It's a wonderful town...as Eddie starts out in Circle, there are three upbeat songs about New York--and how Munich doesn't have ANY! And truly wonderful it was, especially when embellished with a bevy of Izzardites!

I stayed in the Village at first on a tree-lined street of brownstones,with funky (or slick) people walking their myriad breeds of dogs.  I walked over to the Westbeth the first night to scope it out, and came upon a playground at the corner of Bleecker and Bank Streets.  Flowering trees,sunshine,squealing kiddies--New York is so hectic and scary!  The theatre was again, like the Painted Bride and others Eddie picks, in a   decidedly bohemian neighborhood--historical, alternative, and gritty(but in a GOOD way) Like Eddie himself!  Near to the meat market district, which now includes late night clubs and eateries, and the GayLesbianBiTrans Center.  Eddie and pack were seen a couple times eating midnight dinners,--as we all did! Cool!

I met Roxy and her hubby from Long Island and really connected. She's a sweety pie, but sharp. East and West coast babes Unite! Then on Tues. SHOWTIME at last, I met a group of six high school kids from Long Island, very eager and jazzed, playing together, and with us, on line.  Also connected with Grace and she GAVE me a tic for Wed!  Delight!

I returned Fri. with a group including my San Fran son Orion and four of his friends from the Village, acting students--one girl.  We sat up front,stage left, feet up like Iceland kids. Eddie was up close,if not personal, but it felt like it.  Fri with the gang he was absolutely tops, in spite of his lingering lurgy.  He went further into bits,like Vader looking for a dry tray "Wet one,wet one,etc. This one's dry..Why?"  The guys next to me,Orion and
Jordan,were dying (cos Eddie "kills" as they say) lunging around, especially for the stoned Olympics. Eddie seemed to play off their raucous response,smirking sideways and going off even more.  Afterwards,the six of us stood around,in a Circle, babbling about the riffs. The
girl, Bryzine, couldn't say enough about Eddie's talent:his huge ability to make it all seem like improv,  his wild subjects and tangents, and his presence with an audience.   And they were all newbies, except my son.

The veterans in the front row, Kirsten, Amy, Laura BZC,etc had happy,open faces throughout, eating it all up--like big kids! Now we have all new stuff to bandy about together--Intelligent(?) dolphin noises, delivering
long,  Lassie/like messages.."or are you just hungry? "

Eddie did a thing on snakey- necked swans who can kill you with one stroke--How? They lop your head off-(it onlys hurts halfway thru!) When I saw Uma Thurmond on the street I thought how swan-like her neck was. And didn't she kick Eddie's butt in the Avengers? Roxy came back with Yeah, she could have lopped off his head!
The road manager and gang travelling with Eddie are especially patient, decent, direct people. I approached Mick Perrin with transgender software which I got at a conference in Philly and he was really cool about it. I mentioned Eddie there, to the many male lesbian, mostly history professors! and how credible and visible he is. They are eager for an artist in the vein of Andy Warhol, radical, performance/pop, to advance acceptibility of genderbending. And in Eddie's package, it's so easy to take for most.

Long-winded much? Still feeling gushy, can't wait for west coast dates and more events with everyone!

Love,Dorene

New York
(added 04.10.00, review by Susan)

I awoke in my home in St. Petersburg, Florida at 4:00 am and headed for  the airport. I boarded a plane that to my horror began to have engine trouble just before take off! As a result I lost my 9:00 connection to New York. Slightly after 8, I was bound for Atlanta, where I then had to wait for a 1:00 plane. I was finally on my way to see the man who had enthralled my by video since the first time I saw D2K. After arriving at LaGuardia airport, taking a train to NJ to deposit luggage, and back on a train to Penn Station, I hailed a cab (no easy task at 5:00 on a Friday in Manhattan!) that whisked me to my final destination-- the Westbeth theater. As I made my way through the sea of
fans, who ranged in age from young 20's (some teens illegally in the theater is my guess) to late 50's I was lucky to find a seat in the 5th row. I waited, looked at my watch every 30 seconds and finally the lights went down. I held my breath and there he was, the mesmerizing Eddie Izzard. In the same room! He was breathtaking! He had shaved the beard he has been sporting for the last few months, and still had some visible remnants of the flu that has plagued him. But to my eyes, he was perfect! (So were his pants!_no, the pants comment was not from me!) Never in all of my life have I seen someone who exudes so much sexual energy from every pore of his body! It is far more intense in person than on the telly.

As he began his show, the magic was enchanting! I laughed so hard, the muscles in my stomach and rib cage hurt for nearly 2 days! The highlight for me was when he was doing a bit about where Jesus fits in the major religions. He said "Who was it? The Hindus who had like
20,000 gods?" I called out (a friendly heckle) "No, it was the Pagans" (After all, I am one, I know that we have Gods out the wazooo!) He turned, looked me RIGHT IN THE EYE...(I nearly passed out!) and said "What???" I said "It's the Pagans" He looked at me and said, "No, it was the Hindus, Fuck You!" I felt like a Catholic must after the pope
blesses him! My first instinct was to yell back "Yes! Anytime!"

As a student of comparative religion I loved the Communion /  Vampireism correlation. My son, an avid reader of the Guinness Book of World Records, had just pointed out the Eddie Izzard entry just the previous  day, so that bit was hysterical to me. And my husband is a Star Wars Nut! I loved the thought of Darth Vader being hassled at the cantina! Of course, being from Florida, Elian Gonzales is a hot topic in my area, it was interesting to see Eddie become adamant about several human rights issues. He is definitely using his talent to inform as well as entertain. I don't think I have ever heard a comedian whose humor was based on intelligent matter!

I left the show with so much energy that the 23 hours I spent awake for Eddie was a drop in the bucket. I waited patiently and hoped to get an autograph and/or picture but I would not have imposed knowing how sick he had been and that he must be exhausted. I will never in all of my
life forget that night. My goal is to ask Eddie to join me for a cup of coffee (wink, wink,) and then sit and chat about religion, the King of Burundi, and makeup. Thank you Mr. Izzard.

New York
(added 04.10.00, review by Amy)

Eddie Izzard at the Westbeth Theater – April 6, 7, & 8

Amy Shechtman

Eddie Izzard has the flu. That is quite apparent. He is coughing, pale, his eyes are glazed over, and he even says he has the flu. But yet he manages to do a 2 ½ hour stand-up show (with a 15 minute interval). After the first half-hour of Thursday’s show, my brain slowly began to accept the fact that the man I admired for almost an entire year via video and television was standing right there in front of me, and I began to relax and actually listen to the nonsense that was falling from his mouth.

In Circle Eddie uses themes from previous shows, like Jesus, dinosaurs, bees and humans, and takes them down a whole new path. He takes totally new themes like the Guinness Book of Records and the Olympics to places they have never been before, laughing all the way. He fucks up, and escapes from fuck-up. He ad-libs from night to night, accepts heckles, and throws them back in the audience’s face, while they laugh at him and themselves. He makes fun of the British, the Americans, the queen, he throws in current events for good measure, and uses his mime skills to bring you to places you never want to leave.

There are some older Eddie-isms that we have come to expect which do make their appearance – James Mason, jam, cows, "uh, what was I talking about?", "yes this is true…" and hearing them gives you the feeling that you are listening to an old friend who’s ways you are happily familiar with, and still continue to make you laugh.

Circle is a work-in-progress, constantly evolving, constantly moving and changing, it is brilliantly funny. I had the wonderful luxury of having a front row seat one night in a very small theater, and the tug at my heartstrings from a man obviously sick who refuses to disappoint fans and believes the "show must go on".

I look forward to seeing the eventual video that comes from this tour, and how the shows I had the privilege to attend evolve into the perfection of an Eddie Izzard video.

New York
(added 04.09.00, review by Ann Marie)

I am in awe. I won't say Eddie was awesome, because of course, for anyone who has seen Circle, only hot dogs are awesome. I had never seen Eddie live before last night. What an amazing show he put on. He really didnt seem to be that sick, he coughed 2 or 3 times. I was in the first row of the very small Westbeth, and Eddie was about 5 feet away from me. I saw BZC and a few other people on the line outside (I recognized everyone from the photos on this page). For anyone who was there on line early we were the three teenage girls behind you... But seriously I can't even take it all in. Throughout most of the show I felt like I was watching a video, then it would hit me that he was standing right in front of me. My friends and I were discussing anything we could remember that he said about the Deathstar Canteen, Stoned Olympics, the Munich song, Communism etc. on the train ride home. It seems ridiculous, but I don't know that any experience I'll have any time soon will compare to that. Eddie didn't stay for autographs (I hope he didnt, at least--the group i was with didnt want to wait), but even so I feel like I met him just from being so close. Eddie wore the same outfit obviously, his pants were fantastic. At the start of the show someone in the back screamed out "nice pants!!", and Eddie thought she said "nice ass." If she did say that it wouldn't be wrong, however. He then got into a whole thing about Mel Gibson's ass and women who think there asses are big. Very funny. Anyone who has the opportunity to see Circle should go. My whole body hurt from laughing so hard. I know this was a very scattered "review" but i'm still reeling from the whole experience.

New York
(added 04.06.00, review by Mae)

Well I have seen Eddie live 4 times now, twice in Boston and twice in New york and I must say I am spellbound. How can you laugh at the same material over and over again???Easy, it is never the same twice. He looks fantabulous,thinner than usual, he has shaved the beard and mustache,he's wearing silver nail varnish and no makeup. The audience consisted of people from 68 years of age down to 11 and all in stitches. Nathan Lane was at one of the shows and sat behind us and his laughter could be heard loud and clear. We sat in the front row, (arrived at the Westbeth at 5pm to get them and well worth standing in the wind to be so close to those blue eyes.)

He seemed thrilled to be back in New York and the people at The Westbeth are alot of fun. He is suffering from a terrible cold and had to stop a couple of times, made a joke of it and carried on.

Thats all I will report because I don't want to give any specifics of his material away and ruin it for evryone who is still wating to see the genius at work!

One more thing....at the risk of spreading a rumor, I was told by someone at the Westbeth , that when he comes back to New York in June for the Town Hall dates that they are taping the show for an HBO special!! (I could be wrong and if I am it won't be the first time)

Ciao,
Mae

New York
(added 04.05.00, review by Cecilia)

Philadelphia and New York - I am no longer an Eddie Live virgin!! I saw the last two nights in Philly, and can honestly say that I've never seen anyone quite like our hero. His energy was flagging a bit on Friday, but he has a cold (or as he says, "I say it's 'flu' to get more sympathy!"), and he seemed more "on" Saturday night. The crowds were mixed - lots of young college folk and
twenty- and thirty-somethings, but also a lot of older people. There were many more men than you might expect. These crowds were easier to please, I think, than New York, for example, and screamed at everything he said. Nothing kills irony faster than a roomful of sycophants. Anyway, that doesn't change the fact that he was killer. He'd have to have pneumonia (and he'd still come out in an iron lung) to be anything less.

I'm seeing him a lot in New York this week, and I can say in truth that I'll never tire of him. His basic structure, as always, is consistent, but he's adlibbing A LOT. He started at 8:35 last night, and, with the intermission, the show didn't end until 11:20!!!! (Why this one is starting at 8:30 is beyond me, anyway.) He's quite jazzed at being in New York again, and appreciates that NYC is not a pushover town. Lots of celebs will be showing up - so far Gina Gershon and Nathan Lane were spotted. There's great material on politics and religion, as usual, but I don't know what he's on about with this Thatcher thing. I mean, I know he's angry, but it just seems like he keeps getting angrier with every
show! His outfit is basic black, with light blue piping on a cowboy style shirt, and, apparently, a pair of Tom Jones' old pants with a sequin stripe down each side, and NO visible panty line whatsoever, if you get my drift.

Highlights for me - the stoned Olympics, Guinness Book of Records, royalty, Thatcher (I guess), Jesus preaching to dinosaurs, Star Wars cafeteria, all religions and the god Chaos, the Last Supper.

Superb, and his eyes are laser blue - teal, almost. Amazing! I hope HBO tapes this one, too.

New York
(added 04.04.00, review by Roxy)

Dream. n. a series of pictures or events in a sleeping person's mind.

a fantasy.

I had this AMAZING dream last night, I just have to tell you about it! I was in this very tiny place, filled "up to here" with people, wild music playing, lights flashing on and off, and I'm sitting next to my sweetheart of a husband. Suddenly, darkness, and then EDDIE was on a stage only a few feet in front of me! I couldn't believe it - and I didn't want to wake up.

Poor thing looked very tired; he was wearing a little western-style shirt, and VERY nice tuxedo trousers with a glimmering stripe down the side - he looked really cute, like when a little kid uses his imagination to get dressed up as the ultimate superhero. Another thing I noticed in this
incredibly vivid reve was that Eddie's nails were sporting a gorgeous silvery-pale blue polish - I'll never find THAT one at my local shop - and NO ONE's eyes can POSSIBLY be THAT blue in real life!!!

His show was very funny, I wish I could remember all of it, but you know you can never fully remember your dreams, only bits and pieces. Eddie said that in such a small place he felt like the audience was in his room. He said he'd been there before, but that now there were many more people. (This must symbolize his rising popularity).

Eddie was coughing a little and mentioned he had been sick for awhile and just couldn't seem to shake it off. I tried to reach in my purse for a cough drop, but my arms wouldn't move that way, they were too busy clapping while I was laughing and laughing. He left, and I found myself talking "Eddie stuff" with the strangers around me, then "Poof!", there he was again, looking refreshed, and smiling at his own wit. I thought "Oh good, he looks like he's starting to feel better." This part of the dream is all about me in hysterical, doubled-over laughter, along with my hubby and the entire audience.

Dinosaurs, whales, Jesus and Darth Vader - it wouldn't make sense if I tried to tell you what he said - but it's DEFINITELY Eddie material. I'm positive he can make anything into comedy. 

All in all, what a wonderful way to spend a good 2 and 1/2 hours (though they say dreams last less than a minute).

When I woke up this morning, I was shocked to find a CIRCLE flyer next to me! Creepy, huh? But not in a "Freddy Kruger" type of way; more in a "creeping kid, Eddie Izzard" type of way.

Too bad I couldn't have gotten an autograph in my dream, but WOW! What an AWESOME night!!!