Eddie Izzard to perform one-woman Hamlet
Eddie Izzard, who recently revealed she will also use the name Suzy Izzard, has confirmed her intention to perform a one-woman version of Hamlet.
The comic, who is currently preparing for a run of her acclaimed one-woman version of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations at London's Garrick Theatre next month, workshopped an adaptation of Shakespeare's play at several theatres around the UK last year, in a series of open rehearsals in which she once again played all of the characters in the classic text.
As with Great Expectations, the condensed Hamlet has been adapted by the comedian's older brother Mark and is directed by Doc Martin star Selina Cadell. It is produced by Izzard's stand-up tour promoters Mick Perrin.
"I have got a Hamlet lined up behind Great Expectations, which we've already done open rehearsals for" Izzard told LBC presenter James O'Brien on his Full Disclosure podcast.
"Open rehearsals, there's a beautiful thing. We did act one and we did it over strip lighting, [the audience] just came into the rehearsal room. And the reaction was really quite ... intrigued. It wasn't there but it was intriguing, so I'm going to build up on that."
Speaking to The Daily Beast at the turn of the year, Izzard said that she felt "ridiculously relaxed" playing the Danish prince, but said that she was digging into the other characters of the tragedy - particularly Gertrude and Ophelia - "to make sure they punch out of the text. It's easier with Hamlet, because Shakespeare allows him to say what he thinks. I want to make sure I honour those two female roles especially."
And she clarified that the one-woman Great Expectations and Hamlet are not performative endurance tests. "No, it's more like to give me roles to stretch myself theatrically and dramatically. It's like, 'You're not the top of our list for these roles,' and me saying 'OK, I'll do them all' ... It gives me freedom."
Izzard plays 21 characters in the two-hour Great Expectations and earned strong reviews for its off-Broadway run in December. The Wall Street Journal said that she "delivers a finely tuned solo rendition" and The New York Times praised her "impressive" accomplishment, while noting that it is "not without hints at the strain of the effort".