{"id":911316,"date":"2026-06-08T16:12:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T21:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/08\/shakespeare-trans-politics-and-tigers-lunch-with-eddie-izzard-is-a-dizzying-business\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T16:12:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T21:12:24","slug":"shakespeare-trans-politics-and-tigers-lunch-with-eddie-izzard-is-a-dizzying-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/08\/shakespeare-trans-politics-and-tigers-lunch-with-eddie-izzard-is-a-dizzying-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Shakespeare, trans politics and tigers: Lunch with Eddie Izzard is a dizzying business"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Having lunch with Eddie Izzard is a dizzying business. The conversation ricochets from Shakespeare to stand-up, trans politics to tigers, human sacrifice to exploding monarchs, endurance running to her continuing ambitions to enter the British parliament. And more.<\/p>\n

The British comedian\/actor\/runner\/political aspirant doesn\u2019t so much answer questions as open doors off them, each leading to another corridor, another yarn, another left-field and often brilliant digression.<\/p>\n

However, it always stops short of being self-consciously performative or completely exhausting \u2013 she\u2019s too generous for that, as well as being too attuned to her audience. Even an audience of one.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s also genuinely interested in other people. Before I even get a proper question out, we have somehow got onto a topic I usually avoid at all costs in interviews: me.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Izzard<\/picture><\/div>
Izzard thinks she has discovered the meaning of life.<\/span>Sitthixay Ditthavong<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Izzard wants to know about my growing up in the South Yorkshire coalfields during the miners\u2019 strike of the mid-1980s and my decision to move to Australia in my 20s. Then we\u2019re on to that time I was arrested on top of the Harbour Bridge (don\u2019t ask \u2013 I was a young backpacker, and it was a VERY big night), before talking about my dad.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas he a good father?\u201d Izzard asks, apparently sincerely interested in the answer to the sort of question I\u2019m more used to tackling with my therapist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At this stage, I\u2019m really not sure who is interviewing whom, and it takes a conscious effort to shift gears and move the encounter back to a more conventional footing.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve arranged to meet at Midden on the Western Broadwalk of the Opera House. I\u2019m five minutes late and Izzard is already waiting, seated alone, immaculately made-up and coiffed, and sporting a set of arresting fuchsia-pink talons, which she is very keen to show off.<\/p>\n

Ordering complete \u2013 we plump for an express lunch, chicken breast for Izzard and a zucchini tart for me \u2013 we switch focus from my youthful indiscretions to Izzard\u2019s far more interesting story.<\/p>\n

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\"Midden\u2019s<\/picture><\/div>
Midden\u2019s zucchini tart. <\/span>Audrey Richardson<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As someone who has sold out Wembley Arena for four nights, played Madison Square Garden, and had a role in more than 70 movies, is she recognised by people on the street? \u201cThe cooler people do,\u201d she says, somehow managing not to sound up herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to be somewhat switched-on to know my thing because I didn\u2019t do sitcom. I didn\u2019t do sketch comedy. I\u2019ve done a number of film roles that I\u2019m very happy with, but no particular one has grabbed necessarily in a big mainstream way.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you are one of those who would have walked past the glammed-up 60-something diner sitting alone looking at her phone at Midden rather than squealed excitedly \u201ccake or death\u201d (from one of her best-known bits, a 1998 skit), the short version of Izzard\u2019s extraordinary career goes like this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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She is one of Britain\u2019s most distinctive comics, with a surrealist stand-up style descended directly from Monty Python. She has also acted alongside, among others, Robin Williams and Judi Dench, and is about to start touring her audacious, one-person Hamlet<\/i> here. She\u2019s a high-profile activist and an aspiring Labour politician. She is also an endurance athlete who in 2009 ran 43 marathons in 51 days \u2013 about 1800 kilometres \u2013 after training for just five weeks.<\/p>\n

Possibly the least interesting thing about her \u2013 although this depends very much on your point of view \u2013 is that she is also transgender.<\/p>\n

In an era where transgender politics have been injected into the centre of the so-called culture wars as an excuse for real or confected outrage (even Coalition boss Angus Taylor, in the face of the myriad challenges facing his party and country, felt the urge to take a position<\/a> recently), Izzard has always been remarkably relaxed.<\/p>\n

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\"Eddie<\/picture><\/div>
Eddie Izzard has had parts in more than 70 movies including Six Minutes to Midnight, alongside Judi Dench, in 2020.<\/span>IFC Films <\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1985, she came out as what was labelled at the time as a \u201ctransvestite\u201d. Later, she said she identified as gender-fluid. In 2017, she told the Hollywood Reporter<\/i> she was \u201ctrying to have my cake and eat it\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have boy mode and girl mode,\u201d she said. \u201cI have boy genetics and girl genetics.\u201d<\/p>\n

She has even accidentally misgendered herself on stage and laughed about it. \u201cTigers don\u2019t care,\u201d she says, when we, inevitably, get to discussing gender.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Er, what? \u201cIf tigers were attacking humans, they would not be going [switching into her version of a tiger voice] \u2018Is it a male, female? Long hair. Could be. But they\u2019re tasty. But what sex is it? I don\u2019t know what sex it is \u2026 Can\u2019t you<\/i> check?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThen the human\u2019s not going, \u2018Hmm. I\u2019m being attacked by a tiger. Is it male or female? I really don\u2019t know. They look the bloody same. If it was a lion \u2026 If only it was a lion. That would really help\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/picture><\/div>
The free-range chicken breast with sweet corn puree.<\/span>Audrey Richardson<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSo, species-wise, we need to get to that place where who cares about male, female things. It\u2019s how you see yourself, whatever in your own world, fine, but why is it impinging on anyone else? Just get on with your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming from Izzard, the tiger analogy makes perfectly weird sense. Whether being savaged by a tiger would help clarify Taylor\u2019s thinking remains moot.<\/p>\n

Izzard\u2019s award-winning stand-up is built around these absurd musings, often riding atop a serious point. She frequently pushes them almost to breaking point but somehow always makes it home by the skin of her teeth, relying on the speed and breadth of her intellect.<\/p>\n

So, how much effort does it take to make it all appear so effortless? Is the writing as \u201ceasy\u201d as Hemingway supposedly said: \u201cAll you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed\u201d?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI chose to make it conversational, so it does feel loose because it is actually loose,\u201d she says. \u201cBut I don\u2019t sit down there and open a vein. I actually go on the stage in front of an audience and open my mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a journey. If you go on a car journey that was two hours long, and you knew the route, but you could just say, \u2019Oh, I\u2019ve done this thing. Let\u2019s go down this road. Oh, let\u2019s go get back on the main route because this alternative is a bit boggy or marshy or the road\u2019s no good, or I can\u2019t see where I\u2019m going.<\/p>\n

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\"She<\/picture><\/div>
She is keen to show off her fuchsia-pink nails.<\/span>Sitthixay Ditthavong<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cEven if I did the whole thing improvised it would be too much, and maybe I\u2019m too lazy. I\u2019m a lazy person with a huge drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quite where that drive comes from is hard to nail in one lunch date, but the sudden death of her mother in 1968, when Izzard was just six, had an almost incalculable emotional impact, as did being packed off to boarding school shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n

But there is also the simple, mischievous \u2013 and rather British \u2013 joy with which Izzard raise two fingers whenever she is told she can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t do something.<\/p>\n

Despite desperately wanting to be on stage, at primary school she received the strong message that acting was not for her, due in part to her dyslexia. Now, 50 years on she\u2019s performing Hamlet \u2013 solo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The current project follows a well-reviewed one-person Great Expectations<\/em>. \u201cAs I was developing the solo Great Expectations<\/em> I thought I could do Shakespeare this way. Which one? Let\u2019s do Hamlet<\/em>. I just went straight to Hamlet<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

After successful runs across the US, Izzard brought the show to Britain, where London reviewers were less than enthused. Guardian<\/em> chief theatre critic Arifa Akbar was particularly brutal in a one-star review. \u201cSome of the London critics were sniffy about it, said that I should just f— off,\u201d says Izzard. \u201cWe\u2019d already got rave reviews [in the US]. I think they [the London papers] got it wrong. Certain people in London said, \u2018Look, we know who you are. We know where you came from. Get back in your box\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Izzard<\/picture><\/div>
Izzard performs Hamlet.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Izzard has built a career shredding boxes intended to contain her, such as the one declaring it is neither possible nor wise to run 1800 kilometres in a little over seven weeks on the back of almost no training (2009 in Britain). Or another box that says performing stand-up to French audiences in French with only basic French (or German audiences, ditto), really shouldn\u2019t work. It does. She\u2019s proved that wrong in sold-out tours to both countries: \u201cWarum the f— nicht,\u201d as she says.<\/p>\n

Now she has a political career in her sights, serving on the Labour Party\u2019s powerful National Executive Committee and twice (unsuccessfully) seeking pre-selection as a parliamentary candidate, first in Sheffield then Brighton.<\/p>\n

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\"Izzard<\/picture><\/div>
Izzard ran 43 marathons in 51 days in 2009 for charity Sport Relief.<\/span>Comic Relief via Getty Images<\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI might have a determination gene,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen we were growing up there was always some kid who people said \u2018Oh, they could do it. They\u2019ve got the thing\u2019. And then they just gave up, and they didn\u2019t follow it through. But some of us stay with it, and we stay pushing. Blessed are the believers.\u201d<\/p>\n

When I venture that she seems very restless, always changing lanes. She says it\u2019s not so much changing lanes as adding them to her astonishing portfolio.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got the answer to the meaning of life,\u201d she volunteers as we order coffee. \u201cI don\u2019t think there is a meaning of life, but some people put meaning into<\/i> life and some people take meaning out of life, and we need to encourage as many people to put meaning into life, to do things, to try and help.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/picture><\/div>
The bill, please.<\/span>Nine <\/span><\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI run some marathons, I do gigs in different languages, make connections rather than break connections. I try and do things. I\u2019m a trans person who\u2019s touring Hamlet<\/em> around the world, trying to give out a positive thing and say, \u2018Oh, well, maybe I\u2019ll try something, maybe I\u2019ll do this, or I\u2019ll do that\u2019. Try and put meaning into life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a glass two-thirds full person. I\u2019m a trans person sitting next to you looking out on beautiful Sydney Harbour. And I\u2019m about to do a surreal comedy tour and go crashing into a dramatic tragedy tour of Hamlet<\/em>. It\u2019s pretty amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Izzard: The Tragedy of Hamlet<\/em> will play at the Sydney Opera House<\/a> on June 9 \u2013 21, the Brisbane Powerhouse<\/a> June 24 \u2013 27, the Arts Centre Melbourne<\/a> June 30 \u2013 July 12 and Canberra Theatre Centre<\/a> July 31 \u2013 August 1. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Read more great conversations over lunch<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jacqueline Maley explores loss with Bob Carr:<\/strong> Bob Carr on marriage, grief and finally learning how to do a load of laundry<\/a><\/p>\n

Stephen Brook asks Michael Rowland about his future: <\/strong>In the space of 14 months, Michael Rowland upended his ABC life. There\u2019s more upheaval to come<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

Margot Saville laughs with Kathy Lette:<\/strong> Kathy Lette on ageing fabulously \u2026 and giving cheek to the King<\/a><\/p>\n

David Wenham bares his scars to Louise Rugendyke:<\/strong> David Wenham on cancer, getting older and being lusted after<\/a><\/p>\n

Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Nick Galvin
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having lunch with Eddie Izzard is a dizzying business. The conversation ricochets from Shakespeare to stand-up, trans politics to tigers, human sacrifice to exploding monarchs, endurance running to her continuing ambitions to enter the British parliament. And more. The British comedian\/actor\/runner\/political aspirant doesn\u2019t so much answer questions as open doors off them, each leading to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":911317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35611,3192],"tags":[76631,11536],"class_list":["post-911316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-shakespeare","category-trans","tag-shakespeare","tag-trans"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=911316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/911317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=911316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=911316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=911316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}