Eddie Izzard Exclusive

With global comedy superstar Eddie Izzard due in Manchester 6th/7th June this  year, we caught up with him to find out what to expect with  his tour named ‘Force Majeure ‘ and what other issues are important to him following his historical 43 Marathons in 51 days and his recent discovery of his Viking heritage.

We started by chatting about his brand new show, which is his first for a couple of years.  “Force Majeure ‘is completely new material, says Eddie, with some familiar stories and themes running  throughout" .With subjects as diverse as George Formby, Cake Mix and Dinosaurs, ‘Force Majeure’ (French for “superior force) promises to be quite an event.

Citing influences such as Monty Python, Billy Connolly and The Simpsons, Eddie went onto say, “the physical and visual element of his performances appears to often transcend, mere language". He says that he speaks fluent French and German to a high standard. Useful, as he will be visiting some 27 countries around the world with the tour. Not that this was an issue on the recent Scandinavian leg. "The Nordic countries speak and understand English wonderfully and my recent discovery of Viking heritage certainly helped the connection with those audiences".

There will be more Marathons too. Having completed 43 Marathons in just 51 days previously," I intend to re-try my previous attempt in South Africa, when problems with medication, forced me to abandon" Eddie confirmed. When asked about what these historical runs had taught him about himself, Eddie simply said that he felt that it was like being in an action movie and that his legendary Transvestite status, gave him inner strength to complete this gruelling task.

Then there are the nails." Nail polish I was using recently at gigs is actually called 'Salsa' from the Stay Perfect No.7 range. The Union Jack nail makes a strong statement of British-ness, wherever I am in the World" remarks Eddie. "Audiences are always interested in them, particularly on Twitter."

When asked about his previous connections to Manchester? Eddie responded by saying "I recall travelling across the Snake Pass from Sheffield where I was a student to sort out the printing for my early gigs. Even then Manchester had this great appeal as a centre of live entertainment and nightlife”. He went on to say that he was really looking forward to the two nights he plays here at The Arena Manchester.

So,  as our brief chat came to an end, the man who once described himself as a Lesbian trapped in a man’s  body, left us feeling that this extraordinary talent, with more drive than most  and a strong conviction to right the wrongs of the World. I would say also that he is a really nice bloke.

For full details about the forthcoming tour, please visit here. 

To book tickets. Click here..

Published: 25-Apr-2013: (1886)