Suzy Eddie Izzard was given a round of applause on Sunday following the opening night of her one-woman show on Broadway.
Izzard, 62, has embarked on an ambitious, single-handed presentation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet at Greenwich House Theater in New York City, with the comedian playing each part alone from a revised script written by her brother, Mark.
And she was given a positive response from American spectators over the weekend, with Izzard, Mark, and actress Selina Cadell – who directs the play – accepting respective bouquets of flowers after taking a bow.
All three have returned to New York after producing a one-woman adaptation of Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations on Broadway and in London’s West End in 2023.
Hamlet, Shakespeare’s longest and arguably most challenging play, finds Izzard taking an array of diverse characters – among them soldiers, ghosts, kings, queens, footmen, princes and courtiers.
Suzy Eddie Izzard was given a round of applause on Sunday following the opening night of her one-woman show on Broadway
Actress Selina Caddell (left), writer Mark Izzard (centre) and actor Suzy Eddie Izzard (right) accepted respective bouquets of flowers after taking a bow at Greenwich House Theater
‘It’s a great challenge but there is no point living and not going for challenges,’ Izzard told the Associated Press shortly before announcing the play. ‘You’re just at the edge of your skill set and pushing out even further.
‘I want it so that 10-year-old kids can grab this. I want it for the people who don’t find Shakespeare easy, like I didn’t when I was a dyslexic kid.’
Caddell, whose diverse TV and film career includes roles in The Catherine Tate Show, Victoria Wood, Doc Martin and The Madness Of King George, added: ‘I have always gravitated towards playing complex and challenging characters and Hamlet is the ultimate.
‘This is a production for everyone, a timeless drama with an accidental hero. Selina, Mark and I want audiences to see and hear an accessible, touching, scary and dramatic Hamlet.’
The Broadway run comes shortly after Izzard failed in her bid to become Labour’s candidate for Brighton Pavilion at the next general election.
The stand-up comedian was beaten by music industry activist Tom Gray, marking the second time she has been defeated in her attempts to stand as an MP.
Izzard, who identifies as a gender-fluid trans woman, also failed to be selected as Labour’s candidate in Sheffield Central last year when local councillor Abtisam Mohamed was chosen instead.
In a social media video announcing her candidacy in August, Izzard had hailed Brighton as an ‘open-minded’ city that is ‘welcoming to all’ and pointed to her ‘roots’ in Sussex.
Izzard has embarked on a single-handed presentation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in New York City , with the comedian playing each part alone from a script written by her brother, Mark
The play’s director, writer and actor were back in New York City after producing a one-woman adaptation of Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations on Broadway in 2023
Caddell embraced Izzard as the tragedy, Shakespeare’s longest and arguably most challenging play, came to an end on Sunday
‘It’s a great challenge but there is no point living and not going for challenges,’ Izzard told the Associated Press shortly before announcing the play
It came after the Greens lost control of Brighton and Hove City Council as Labour retook power in the city at the local elections in May.
After being selected as Labour candidate, Gray wrote: ‘Delighted and humbled to be selected to be the Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion.
‘Thanks so much to everyone who helped in the campaign and thanks to Eddie, Lucy and Birgit for showing such solidarity and integrity on the trail.’
The current Brighton Pavilion MP is long-serving Green politician Caroline Lucas, who is standing down at the next general election.
