A marathon effort from a uniquely long-running star

Eddie Izzard

Online from Riverside Studios

★★★★ ★

Eddie Izzard was recently seen sitting still for hours on end for an episode of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, when he attracted much social media attention for happily assenting to being called “she” (either, apparently, is fine).

Now the gender-fluid comedian and tireless boundary-pusher is making a rather more active exhibition of him/ herself.

Every day for the remainder of the month, Izzard, 58, will be at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith – first pounding a treadmill to complete a marathon, then delivering a short set, purportedly comprising some of the finest riffs from his long-running career.

It’s all being live-streamed (the first section free to view, the gig a reasonable outlay of £11), making it a cross between a real-time

Breathless: Eddie Izzard runs for 6 hours then delivers a show endurance test and a species of performance art. Those heading down to the Covid-secure venue (none are allowed inside) can peer in and see Izzard go through his paces.

Izzard says he was inspired by the Apollo astronauts of the Moon landing era: lots of small steps for gender-fluid man, one giant leap for humanity. His aim is to inspire a fundraising chain reaction of positivity ac across the world.

New Year’s Day found him completing his first 40k (his 100th marathon fo for charity, having conducted similar feats before in the UK, South Africa and E Europe). While most of th the country was hittin hitting the snooze button, and burying itself under the duvet, Iz Izzard was getting in into his stride an and narrati narrating as he went. I was immed immediately impre impressed, thou though his grop groping aro around for the word “bi “bike” sug suggested this might prov prove as gruelling on the ear as monoton monotonous on the eye.

In the ev event, if you could stand the sound of p panting, it was curio curiously hypnotic and at times refre refreshingly daft: “The riv river Thames is the other side of that,” h he burbled, indic indicating railings outside. “If you jumped into that, it would be … very cold.”

As well as relayin relaying his run, using a female avatar, in a virtual world (you can digitally jog along with him – fat chance, in my case), he’ll be “visiting” a different city every time. Onlookers and wellwishers are encouraged to send in relevant photos.

The first port of call being London, this entailed a slide show of so-so snaps, the stream primarily enlivened by the star’s red lipstick, flicking blonde ponytail, tight joggers and ample chest rising and falling in a genderbendy fashion.

The odd guest also dropped in, via Zoom, to chew over meaty topics – the civil war in Yemen, say. The mood was more Karl Marx than Joe Wicks. Could he not have stuck on some Steps? You’ve heard of comics dying on stage. Towards the end, it looked as if Izzard might be stretchered off.

“I’m failing here, I need to talk to someone,” he groaned, begging for contact like a spaceman spinning in the void. The effort was real, but there was showmanship, too.

His prior training for this feat includes being a former street-act escapologist – he knows how to keep a crowd watching (“Basically do things that make people think you’re going to die”). He made it to the finishing-line, six hours on.

The ensuing set, entitled I’m Still Standing, was commendable for happening at all. Donning knee-high boots and jacket, a light-headed Eddie stood steady, entertaining the hordes at home with only the odd laugh from a watching technician for feedback.

It was more a disorientated ramble down memory lane than a rattle through the hits. He has promised to do fan favourites like Death Star Canteen. “Give me a break,” he said, reasonably enough. “If you watch more than one show, who knows what will happen?”

Make Humanity Great Again: A Run for Hope and I’m Still Standing are on until Jan 31; the run and the gig are both available to stream at riversidestudios.co.uk