For Izzard fans, solo show is an abundance of riches
SO, yeah.
Eddie Izzard, the British actor-comedian known as much for his cerebral stream-of-consciousness as his frequent cross-dressing, has been quietly gigging at the Coronet Theatre, ad-libbing a show called “Work in Progress” between shoots for the FX series “The Riches.” The run has been so low-key that, largely, only clued-in British expats or fans belonging to Izzard’s online mailing list have been aware he’s at the 284-seat venue. Though the current run ends Sunday, Izzard promises he will return to the Coronet sometime after his Nov. 17 stint at the Comedy Festival in Las Vegas.
Izzard describes the material as his most political to date, and also the most diverse. He zigs and zags among topics -- human evolution, European politics, unquestioning religious fanaticism -- much like the bees he also likes to riff on. (During one bit he suggests the very existence of hornets undermines theories of intelligent design -- unless, perhaps, drugs were involved.) “I love applying that modern sensibility to the caveman days,” Izzard, 45, says. “Like Charlie Brown applied an adult sensibility to kids. Because, look: Those cavemen were us. Give them an iPhone and . . . well, for the kids it would be easy. The adults. . . . “
(Zagging once again: Izzard remains as tech-obsessed as ever. In the middle of his last Coronet show, he whipped out his iPhone to look up the phrase “hear, hear” on Wikipedia. Only Izzard has the stones to read an entire Wiki aloud; the diversion sent the crowd into hysterics for a full 60 seconds. So, yeah.)
Longtime fans may not recognize the current Izzard look: jeans, navy blazer, buttoned-down collared shirt. After all, YouTube is packed with snippets from his sharply honed live performances delivered in high heels, miniskirts, padded bustiers and “Rocky Horror”-thick makeup. But, as Izzard explains, he’s in “boy mode” at the moment, partly because of Wayne Malloy, his smooth con-artist character on “The Riches.” Wayne’s younger son has a penchant for women’s clothing, but Izzard’s own character does not. However, Izzard says, he may don a dress again soon -- who knows?
“I like to think I have a bit of the Human Torch in ‘Fantastic Four,’ ” he says. “Flame on, flame off.”
-- Leslie Gornstein
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
‘EDDIE IZZARD:
WORK IN PROGRESS’
WHERE: Coronet Theatre, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A.
WHEN: 9 p.m. Sunday
PRICE: $30
INFO: (310) 657-7377, www.eddieizzard.com
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