Foreign language gig in London

Eddie Izzard is to perform a show in French in the UK.

His publicist reckoned: ‘This is the first time since William the Conqueror that an English person has done a gig in French in England.’

Izzard has already laid claim to being the first British comic to play a gig in French to an American audience, having performed Stripped in his second language in Los Angeles earlier this month.

He presented that French version in Paris for two months last year, and will be doing so at Montreal’s Just For Laughs next week.

His British first will be at the Soho Theatre on August 3.

Not that London is a stranger to French language gigs. The Comedy Store regularly, if infrequently, hosts such a night of stand-ups from across the Channel. And a French group once performed sketches from Izzard’s comedy heroes, Monty Python, in their native tongue at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Published: 16 Jul 2012