Michael Cox reviews the acclaimed performers latest tour.
Eddie Izzard is one of the most talented performers currently working. The way she commands the stage while balancing humour and insight yet maintaining a connection with the audience through sometimes abstract and absurd observations is never short of impressive. Include this with her advocacy and participation in multiple political and social debates, and you have a remarkable individual who engages through passion and wit.
So, with all of this in mind, it is rather frustrating to report that her latest tour, Eddie Izzard: The Remix Tour, is a slight disappointment.
This performance has Izzard revisiting material from her previous sets, juxtaposing some of her favourite moments with modern flourishes. Izzard’s set isn’t necessarily a ‘Greatest Hits’ performance but a revisit to the past with just enough tweaks to make this journey feel relevant.
And, unfortunately, the result is a mixed bag. As with any compilation by a great artist, it makes one realise how many ‘hits’ there are: it’s easy to feel disappointed that a lot of favourites hadn’t been performed, even when there is plenty of familiar beats and sections to take pleasure in.
When Izzard detours with current musings on modern life and society, the show soars: Izzard’s intelligence and timing comes shining through, and it makes one wish that the whole experience had been more inline.
It’s still wonderful spending time with Izzard: her command of the stage and ability to commune with the audience is stellar stuff. It just seems a shame that such a talent is presenting previous material. It might mature as the show continues to tour, but as it is now The Remix Tour is just that—a rehash of great stuff that makes one yearn for an original experience.
Eddie Izzard: The Remix Tour was reviewed at the Glasgow Royal Theatre. It continues to tour the UK until December 5, 2023.
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