Circle
In October 1999, Eddie began performing his 6th stand-up show, Circle, throughout the UK, Scotland, Ireland and 13 performances in French in Paris, during which Eddie found the time to make a return trip to London in support for Keith Vaz, the then Minister for Europe. He then returned to London for 5 performances at the Brixton Academy in December.
The show opened with Eddie descending from the petals of a giant indigo rose and courted some controversy during the tour when the BBC’s consumer rights show, Watchdog, became interested in claims that Eddie was re-using material. The confusion arose as some of the ideas touched upon in Dress To Kill (Eddie didn’t tour the UK with this show and only performed it once in the UK for charity) were used as starting points from which the all-new material for Circle evolved. The confusion was explained and the situation spawned some interesting t-shirt slogans!
Circle returned to the USA and Canada in 2000 and the show marked Eddie’s stand-up debut in Australia and New Zealand.
Recorded at the Town Hall, New York, Circle was released on VHS and DVD in the UK (Region 2) on 18th November 2002. The one UK in-store appearance Eddie made at Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street, again caused chaos as the signing continued until midnight and the store eventually had to be closed due to the large crowds.
“He just lights a touchpaper in his brain and off he goes….With Izzard, there is an exciting frisson of anticipation..gloriously unpredictable.” The Independent
“….the glorious, relentless, unstoppable Eddie Izzard.” Heat Magazine
“…he also has an off-kilter but progressive worldview that means that his gags flow. Izzard has a great gift for spontaneous delivery….” Variety
“….his latest show, called “Circle,” amounts to a rewarding, laugh-littered evening of entertainment.” New York Times
