Live at the Ambassadors
| Live at the Ambassadors | ||||
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| Video by Eddie Izzard | ||||
| Released | 15 November 1993 | |||
| Recorded | Ambassadors Theatre, London, United Kingdom | |||
| Genre | Stand-up comedy | |||
| Length | 87 minutes | |||
| Label | Universal Pictures | |||
| Director | John Gordillo | |||
| Eddie Izzard chronology | ||||
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Eddie Izzard made his West End debut in 1993 at the Ambassadors Theatre. The show originally had a 4 week run, which was extended twice due to the popularity of the performance. Later released on video, titled "Live at the Ambassadors", the show led to Izzard being invited to the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, awarded a British Comedy Award for "Top Stand Up Comedian", and receiving an Olivier Award nomination for "Outstanding Achievement". Live at the Ambassadors was Izzard's first video, which for many years was out of production and very difficult to come by. However, it is available on CD from the official Eddie Izzard website, where it is pointed out that this performance will "never be released on DVD". However, it is available on VHS. Izzard despised his look on the show, and was also on low performance rights with the copyright owner, and this DVD will never be released.
Fans and critics alike recognise the change in Izzard's comedy over the years; Live at the Ambassadors is an example of Izzard's very early and less refined style of stand up. His bizarre sense of humour has remained the same throughout performances, and various themes and ideas that can be seen in later recordings can be identified in Live at the Ambassadors such as Christian hymns (and religion in general), politics, cult television and wordplay/oddities within the English language.
There is also very little evidence of his cross dressing, something that would become a major part of the Izzard 'brand' later in his career.