7 June, 2014
Cake or death? Either way, you'll need a tray.
The incomparable Eddie Izzard made Chicago considerably funnier, cleverer, and generally more talented during his three-day residency at the gorgeous Chicago Theater from June 7th through 9th. My dad bought a pair of tickets for us, because obviously this was not a show to be missed. It was my first experience seeing Eddie Izzard live, and was well worth the wait. I knew he'd make me laugh like no one else, but I wasn't sure what to expect. Would he have an opening act? Who would that be? Would it be brand-new material or some old jokes?
As soon as the lights dimmed in the theater I knew at least one of my questions was answered. The Bond music and dramatic laser-like lighting building up the audience's anticipation assured me that Mr. Izzard knew what we were all there for, and would not rely on the usual opener to warm up the crowd. He didn't need one.
But then, Eddie Izzard has never been one to adhere to convention nor waste a moment of time.
He brings his fans to tears of laughter discussing 13th-century English politics. He speaks at least six languages, incorporating them into each act and actually translating entire shows. In fact, his current tour will have taken him to 24 countries and all 50 U.S. states. He openly identifies as a transvestite, and does full 2-hour shows in killer stilettos. He ran 43 marathons in 51 days, and will now run for mayor of London in 2020. And yet somehow I have trouble finding the time to do laundry.
"I was in Paris this morning," Izzard told us. It wasn't the beginning of an "and boy are my arms tired!" joke. No, he had actually flown to Normandy in the middle of his U.S. tour to do three charity shows--one in English, one in French, and one in German--on June 6th, the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and was back here in Chicago on June 7th.
I get the feeling that his love of languages stems, in part, from his drive to bring the people of the world together, to show that we are really all the same. His jokes have universal appeal: human sacrifice, Olympic horse dancing, and of course God and Darth Vader dueling over pasta.
Eddie Izzard on the origins of the English language
While his style is undeniably silly and Monty Python-esque, Izzard is sincere and firm in his beliefs. He encourages thought and rationality and believes strongly in democracy. He reminded us that every country has the ability to overcome its crazy sects to make the world a better place. "Wisdom is a beautiful thing," he declared whilst discussing the absurdity of fascism, the Tea Party, and Margaret Thatcher. "No extremist has ever had wisdom."
On the nonsensical thought process of fascists
You can tell he respects his audience. He knows us--intelligent, open-minded, and silly--and he never talks down to us. I had wondered if he would bring his multilingual skills into his American shows, or if he would omit it because we're not known to be as worldly as Europeans. Happily, he did an entire bit completely in French, and by the end the theater was roaring as if it had been in English. He even threw in some German and Arabic, for good measure.
It was a proper show, full of astounding energy (especially considering he spent the better part of the day traveling across the Atlantic) and excitement and showmanship. It was long, just about 2 hours, divided by an intermission. I guess I haven't been to a lot of live stand-up but I didn't expect it to be such a long set. I was very happy it was though.
If you're familiar at all with Eddie Izzard's work, you probably have heard his bit about the Death Star's canteen, in which Darth Vader goes to get some lunch and struggles with wet food trays and an unimpressed worker who asks if he is Mr. Stevens, head of catering.
I wasn't expecting him to rehash that bit, and hoped he wouldn't as it's a bit boring when comedians use old material. But like I said, Izzard knows his audience and what we came for. He didn't retell the story of the Death Star canteen; no, he gave us the sequel, eight years later!
By the end of the night my voice was hoarse and my mascara was
smudged from tears of laughter. I felt very fortunate to have seen
one of the best entertainers of our time, and grateful to my dad for
getting the two of us tickets. But more
than anything, I left inspired. This man
uses intellect and wit to fight ignorance, he brings happiness to so many
people, he is proud of who he is and what he stands for, and he says so in
multiple languages; not quite fluently, but it doesn’t matter. I can do all of these things as well; anyone can, he just went and did it. A love of languages is something Eddie Izzard and I have in common, the only difference being that he actually goes out and learns them and speaks them and doesn't care if he messes up. I have resolved to actively improve and
maintain my fluency in Spanish, and I am going to sign up for French
classes. He’s given me a high-heeled kick in the pants
to pursue my passions and be better person.
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