Glorious
PolyGram Video · 1997 · 1 h 39 min
A free-associative history of the universe delivered in a magenta suit.
Eddie Izzard steps onto the Hammersmith Apollo stage in a shimmering magenta suit and heels, treating stand-up like an impromptu history lecture that has completely derailed. The act attempts to track the timeline of the universe starting with the Old Testament, but the momentum relies entirely on free-associative tangents. A standout sequence casts James Mason as the voice of God, who finds himself haggling with Noah over whether an ark offers a better photo opportunity than a speedboat. Other detours involve the logistics of classical mythology, the inherent threat of evil giraffes, and the precise mechanics of operating a shower.
Filmed in London in 1997, Glorious captures Izzard just before international stardom peaked with the Broadway run of Dress to Kill. The 99-minute set cemented the comic’s signature approach to performance—presenting surreal historical absurdities with the casual confidence of a self-described executive transvestite. Despite the grand mythological scope, the show frequently pivots to mundane frustrations like stubborn computer printers or French campsite toilets.
The set list
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The Bible from Genesis to Revelation
Follows the loose trajectory of biblical history using impressions of James Mason as God and Sean Connery as Noah, highlighting the absurdity of religious tales.
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Noah and the Baboon
Depicts Noah building the ark and physically sawing or punching an uncooperative baboon.
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Office life of beekeepers
Imagines the everyday mundane office interactions and dangers of professional beekeepers.
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The Death of Princess Diana
Compares the public grief over the death of Princess Diana to the abrupt cancellation of a favorite television series.
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The Siege of Troy
Examines the logic and historical narrative of the Trojan Horse.
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Street fight with hooligans ('tranny bashing')
Recounts being attacked on the street and subsequently securing a court victory against the aggressors.
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French campsite toilets and hopscotch
Bizarre observations about foreign campsite plumbing and the baffling rules of playground hopscotch.
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Technojoy and getting a computer to print
Frustrated observational breakdown of early home computer technology and recalcitrant printers.
How it plays
- Tone
- Surreal, whimsical, intellectual, and observational.
- On stage
- Cerebral, eccentric, and charmingly discursive; performed in makeup, low/high heels, and a shimmering red pantsuit while keeping her transvestism casual rather than the central gimmick.
- Pace
- Fluid, rambling, and semi-improvised; characterized by trademark pauses, mumblings, vocal filler ('Eddie-ing'), and physical miming without props.
- About
- Biblical stories and religion, British Royal Family, History and mythology, Animals and nature, Everyday absurdities and technology, Transvestism and street encounters
What the critics said
Regarded as a delightful, hallmark performance demonstrating Izzard at her comedic peak, blending witty intellectual history with sublime physical nonsense.
In the room: Enthusiastic and engaged crowd filling the London theater, captured with standard theater audio that balances performance and room response.
Backstory
Performed as an out transvestite comedian wearing makeup and women's clothing, deliberately avoiding television overexposure in order to preserve artistic freedom and pursue straight dramatic acting.
Details
- Released
- Taped
- Hammersmith Apollo, London
- Runtime
- 1 h 39 min
- Where
- PolyGram Video
- Director
- Peter Richardson
- Topics
- Before
- Definite Article (1996)
- After
- Dress to Kill (1998)
More from Eddie Izzard
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Wunderbar
Prime Video
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Dress to Kill
Vision Video
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Definite Article
Vision Video
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