Eddie Izzard: Circle
Eddie Izzard: Circle
R | 18 November 2002 (USA)
Eddie Izzard: Circle Trailers

Town Hall, New York City, 26 June 2000. An evening with Eddie Izzard in which she moves back and forth in time, with religion as the loose but constant theme.

Reviews
ThiefHott Too much of everything
MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting
Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Jackson Booth-Millard This was only the second I had seen a stand-up show by Eddie Izzard, and in his transvestite guise. Playing in Town Hall, New York City, he gives his usual abstract and amusing material, including his opinions and theories about Pope John Paul II, the Spanish Inquisition, Jerusalem and Jesus, and the future. Also with some bits about mad cows, the Renaissance period, Leonardo DiVinci and the Mona Lisa, and a good part near the end about Darth Vader on the Death Star. I didn't think this was as funny or fun to watch as Dress to Kill, but it does have its moments. Eddie Izzard was number 3 on 100 Greatest Stand-Ups, and he was number 19 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!
bob the moo After a terribly dated and silly Matrix-style opening sequence, this DVD opens up with the show filmed live in New York Town Hall. Circle was the first live show I've seen from Izzard in a while and I was quite looking forward to it and was happy to find him on good form. His style is the same as it ever was, with perfectly scripted scatological material done with good timing and delivery that makes him such fun to flit along with. Fans have already noted that some of the topics he covers are similar to ones he has done before – God as James Mason, religion, the British Empire, Star Wars etc; but he doesn't really do the same things or the same jokes with these.Instead he goes off on different flights of fancy which are witty and clever even if they are slightly more hit and miss than normal. One of the problems is that the film either doesn't capture the atmosphere or there wasn't at atmosphere to capture. The venue doesn't feel "full" in the way that a venue full of excitement can do but rather it feels full of people who have come along for a look. This feeling probably wasn't helped by the fact that technical problems with the sound broke up the flow for about thirty minutes during filming but regardless the audience don't seem to be getting into it and it is something Izzard notices with his regular references to "6 people jokes" etc. It knocks him a little bit at times and you can see it as he doesn't appear to be enjoying himself quite as much as his best shows but still he delivers it well.Fans will still have much to enjoy here because Izzard is almost as good as he has been in the past and it is only the slight feel that he has done some of the topics before and also the slightly stilted audience that takes away from it.
mandikatt I have been a fan of Eddie Izzard for years now, ever since his bit on The Old Testament and "Evil Ducks". (If you don't know what I'm talking about it is his 1997 stand-up named 'Glorious') I have since watched all of his available stand-up several times, and always laugh.That being said, I was so excited to see this become available in the US. But I must say,I was a little disappointed. Although still chuckle worthy, I didn't feel like he was quite as comfortable with an American audience. His unique way of dispensing interesting pieces of information, always so witty and honest. I will continue to follow Eddie in hopes that this was an off year(2000). I would imagine,with all the world events lately,he should have plenty to say now. Let's just hope he will.If you're an Eddie fan,I would say this is a must rent. Still lively, and intelligent,just with slightly less enthusiasm than I've seen from him in the past.
Roisin Moriarty I can understand why die-hard Eddie fans are disappointed with "Circle" because it really isn't as fall-off-the-sofa-my-jaw-aches-omigawd-I-can't-breathe-for-laughing hilarious as the likes of "Dress to Kill" and "Glorious". However, there's still a good deal of intelligent and extremely funny observation going on here and, like all of his stand-up before it, it's worth it 'cause it's Eddie and a true fan doesn't need anymore than that as a guarantee. But even those not familiar with humour of the Izzardeque variety should find plenty to amuse them on this show. The signing with chimps ("gimme a f***ing banana"), monkeys with guns and Darth Vader trying to order penne arrabiata in the Death Star canteen are truly hilarious and just what we expect from our hero. Yes, there are some re-hashed lines but the same could be said for most stand-up comedians and besides, this was released over two years after it was filmed so there's bound to be stuff that we've heard before but seemed a lot fresher at the time.I agree with those who recommend that Izzard novices start out on the true path of comedy righteousness with "Dress to Kill", "Glorious" or "Unrepeateable" but if you've seen them and not "Circle" please don't pass it by because you've heard that it's no good. There's plenty in there to make you utter many a hearty titter and more than a few mighty chuckles and like a lot of Eddie's stuff it gets funnier with repeated viewings.