Dan's Papers - February 15, 2008

I know what you're thinking - a man in drag isn't exactly a big deal in New York. But this isn't your typical drag act - no wannabe Liza Minnelli or Marilyn Monroe with a 5 o'clock shadow. -This is Eddie Izzard.

The first time I caught Izzard's act was late one night on HBO. I sat up until 4 a.m., my sides splitting as he ranted about killer giraffes, dogs on motorboats and traveling around Italy on a scooter. It was a bizarre, wonderful and witty performance.

American audiences know Izzard best for his role as conman-turned-lawyer Wayne Malloy on FX's "The Riches," where he stars opposite fellow Brit Minnie Driver. You may also have caught his bit parts in Ocean's 12 and 13. Manhattan theatergoers might have been lucky enough to see his Drama Desk Award-winning performance in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in 2003, but what put Izzard on the map first was his one-man show.

Eddie Izzard: Live at the Ambassadors in London's West End won him an Olivier Award and a British Comedy Award in 1993. A year later he was cast in David Mamet's The Cryptogram followed up by David Beaird's 900 Oneonta and Marlowe's Edward II. Then it was on to film, then comedy, then film, then theater, then film - well, you get the point. The guy has talent.

While the concept of cross-dressing has thrown some audience members, for Eddie Izzard it's more than a gimmick. In fact, it was the crux of the monologue in his Emmy-Award-winning HBO special Eddie Izzard: Dress To Kill. Izzard's humor is far more varied than simply prattling on about his outfit.

Something can be said about a man who has the ability to ramble on about the supermarket for over ten minutes and make it funny. Often, his routines seem like stream of consciousness of a dizzy mad man, but his accessibility and keen observations of the commonplace quickly entice the audience into his world, allowing Izzard to take them wherever he wants to go.

His routine usually contains a few common elements. Not known as an impersonator, Izzard uses British actors James Mason (Boys from Brazil, Jesus of Nazareth) and Sean Connery as his voices for everyone. James Mason generally gets the honor of being the voice of God, while Connery seems to take on everyone else. Clearly very intelligent, Izzard's nods to religion and history are brilliant. A bit about Noah (with the voice of Connery) trying to convince God that speedboats would be better than the ark is hysterically funny. the same goes for his retelling of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps to reach Ancient Rome - "We're going to attack the Romans over the Alps...Well we're fresh out of skis for the moment...We've got some elephants though!"

Izzard is known to perform segments entirely in French - without warning. Yet somehow those who don't speak the language don't get lost in the translation. . Jam (yes, like the stuff you put on toast) is his go-to subject. Talking about preserved fruit doesn't sound like it could ever be funny, but his ability to throw it into the most ridiculous of circumstances or whenever he can't think of a word works incredibly well.

Izzard is like no other comedian on the circuit. Intelligent, quirky and just plain funny. Catching this show would be a coup for anyone looking to laugh away the winter doldrums.

While I strongly recommend checking out Izzard, there's another comedy show I'd like to mention. Although technically sold out, you can still get tickets on stubhub.com. Will Ferrell's Funny or Die Comedy Tour is one of the funniest shows on the block right now. As the title may imply, Will Ferrell (yes, the Will Ferrell) hosts an evening of stand-up with some of the smartest, outrageously funny folks in comedy today. The lineup includes Zach Galifianakis, Demetri Martin and Nick Swardson. If you can get your hands on some tickets, they may very well be worth the scalping price.

Eddie Izzard is performing from February 14- 23 at the Union Square Theater, tickets $40. Will Ferrell's Funny or Die is one night only on Sunday, February 24 at Radio City Music Hall. Tickets are few and far between.