Live at the Ambassadors

Eddie Izzard made his stand up debut in London's West End in 1993 at the Ambassador's Theatre. The show originally had a 4 week run, which was extended twice due to the popularity of the performance. Later released on video, titled "Live at the Ambassadors", the show lead to Izzard being invited to the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, a British Comedy Award for "Top Stand Up Comedian", and an Olivier Award nomination for "Outstanding Achievement. Live at the Ambassadors was Izzard's first video, which for many years was out of production and very difficult to come by. However, it is available on CD from the official Eddie Izzard website, where it is pointed out that this perfomenace will "never be released on DVD". Unlike Izzard's subsequent releases (Unrepeatable in 1994, Definite Article in 1996, Glorious in 1997, Dress to Kill in 1998, Circle in 2002 and Sexie in 2003), the show was not recorded in a single take, and was instead filmed over a number of nights with the best parts being edited together in post-production (as is clearly visible by Izzard's changing hairstyle). Fans and critics alike recognise the change in Izzard's comedy over the years; Live at the Ambassadors is an example of Izzard's very early and less refined style of stand up. His bizarre sense of humour has remained the same throughout performances, and various themes and ideas that can be seen in later recordings can be identified in Live at the Ambassadors.