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Eddie Izzard/Passing Strange
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| By: ncsampson |
2/20/2008 3:30 PM |
This past weekend I was lucky enough to see 2 great shows. On Saturday, Janet, Elaine and Kurt joined me for Eddie Izzard's
stand-up show. It's been at least 2 years (maybe 3?) since his last
performance(s) in New York. What I find so amazing is that he keeps to
some of the same main subjects (world history, religion, computers, and
toast with jam) but is able to come up with completely new and
completely hilarious jokes for each show. I have seen him perform about
8 times now and I always wonder how much of his act or subject matter
is planned in advance and how much is improvised. It has to be a
combination of the two, because the things he relates together in his
jokes or what leads him from joke to joke seems so obscure, as if it
occurred to him at that moment. One of the things I like best about his
humor is that he'll take an idea that people tend to believe or take
for granted and question it. For example, his main subject matter that
night seemed to be his issues with Intelligent Design and the fanatics
who believe in it. He asked, "If you were God and you created the earth
and all of its life forms in 6 days, and had that all written out in
the Bible, wouldn't you also want to brag about creating the whole rest
of the universe, and all other universes?" His delivery was funnier of
course, but that's a good example of some of the things he brings up.
Other jokes are just plain silly in a great way, like miming a snake
driving a speedboat.
Sunday afternoon I had a discount ticket to Passing Strange on
Broadway, a new rock & roll musical. The music was really great,
I'm still singing some of the lyrics in my head. (because me singing
them out loud would really be an insult to the show!) I found inspiring
messages in the story about a young man from South Central L.A. who
leaves home to live in Europe for a few years to discover himself and
explore his musical talents. I'm pretty sure the story is loosely based
on Stew's, the narrator's, life at that age and his relationship with
his mother. There was a moment towards the end of the show that really
grabbed my attention. Basically they were saying (singing) that
wherever you are in life for whatever reason or choices you have made,
that you should remember that "it's alright!" I always like being
reminded of that, since sometimes I find myself wondering: Why I
haven't had more public acknowledgment or higher accomplishment (such
as more stuff being published or paid for in some way!) concerning my
artwork. Is it purely because of the choices I have made? ... Choosing
to sleep in instead of forcing myself out of bed so I can get a few
more hours out of the day? Going out with friends more often instead of
dedicating more of that time for moving forward on whatever portfolio
piece I am working on? I read a bit more about the creation of the show
and Stew and co-creator Heidi Rodewald worked the story and songs for
about 10 years. It was first performed in Berkeley, CA, then eventually
made the jump to Off-Broadway NYC at the Public Theater last year, and
now it's a full-fledged Broadway show. So, greatness does take time
to develop. There's still a chance for me yet! 
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Comments (1)
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Re: Eddie Izzard/Passing Strange |
By lainiebird on
3/24/2008 7:51 PM |
| Cake or death? |
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