EDDIE IZZARD: FORCE MAJEURE at Massey Hall (178 Victoria) until Saturday (November 16), 8 pm. $44.25-$73.50. roythomsonhall.com. See listing. Rating: NNN
Eddie Izzard’s Force Majeure offers good value for your comedy dollar. There’s no opening act and the eyelinered and lipsticked performer is onstage for a solid two hours, not including the interval. So it’s a shame his touring show isn’t stronger.
He began the first of his four-night stand Wednesday at Massey Hall with the obligatory jokes about our crack-smoking mayor, and he milked the topic at choice moments. On the subject of Ford’s misplaced sense of duty, he said, “Yeah, I smoked crack… but I’ll be into work tomorrow.” He also pointed out that the mayor has “put you on the map,” which earned a guilty laugh.
After 20 minutes of genial, off-the-cuff material, he began his set proper, which took on the seemingly unfunny topic of human sacrifice. This included informative and genial jokes about Charles I and other “dickhead kings,” which all led to some smart punchlines about prayer and religion. Comparing Christianity to consolidating debt? Terrific.
And while an analysis of the Omen movies seemed like a waste of time – and oddly dated – he was on firming footing in a bit about why there aren’t more animal ghosts in New York’s trendy meatpacking district. He concluded the first half by talking about how authority and a booming speaking voice are related. It takes brains and balls to riff on Henry V’s rousing Saint Crispin’s Day speech in a falsetto voice.
The short second half offered less history, and – no surprise – was also funnier. Whether Izzard was deconstructing the phrase “Release the Kraken!” from Clash Of The Titans or criticizing trainers from 1970s sports films, he demonstrated a sharp sense of the absurdities in pop culture.
The show’s standout sequence took the piss out of the Olympics’ equestrian competitions. The funniest bit of all featured a horse competing in dressage burglaring a home, with Izzard simultaneously playing the horse and voicing the sports commentator. Brilliant physical comedy.
It was nice to see Izzard include some personal material about his combined childhood obsessions of chasing girls, stealing makeup and learning French. And speaking of makeup, I’m surprised more male comics haven’t embraced eyeliner and lipstick in their wardrobe. They look great on him. And they really make his onstage reactions – and Izzard’s the king of the mumbling aside – come alive.
Let’s just hope next time his material’s as well-defined as his cheekbones.
