Eddie Izzard

    British comedian Eddie Izzard is bringing his Force Majeure World Tour back to the U.S. for a Southern swing, making a stop in Meridian for his first-ever concert in the Magnolia State.

    The tour, which kicked off Nov. 28 in Miami and runs through the end of the year, follows Izzard’s spring 2015 U.S. tour, which visited 25 Western cities, and his spring 2014 U.S. tour, where he performed 50 shows in 32 cities in 64 days. The trek is the most extensive comedy tour ever, according to a press release.

     Launched in March 2013, the tour will take Izzard to 28 countries on five continents and all 50 of the United States of America. From Cardiff to Kathmandu and Moscow to Mumbai, Izzard will play throughout Europe, Africa, Russia, the U.K., Canada, the U.S., India, Nepal, The Far East and Australia.  

    “The tour has been going very well,” Izzard said in a recent telephone interview. “I’m not trying to do the ‘longest’ comedy world tour, but the most extensive. I have now played 28 countries (I’m claiming it’s a comedy world record) and I’m still going. I have also played 38 out of the 50 states of America and I am coming to Mississippi because I’ve never played in Mississippi before – it will be an adventure.”

    In addition to embarking on a world tour, Izzard also has performed his show in France entirely in French, in Berlin entirely in German and plans to learn and perform the show in Spanish, Russian and Arabic.

    The comic listed a few reasons why he chose such a massive undertaking.

    “One reason is that I get to see more of the world,” he said. “The flip side is that more of the world gets to see my comedy – which I’ve designed to be universal and be understood and funny everywhere (and in four languages so far). But also, I’m trying to let people know that I’m doing this tour, so I try to do things that might grab some attention and let people know that it’s

happening.”

    As for what fans can expect at the show, Izzard said, “People can expect stand-up comedy that is influenced by Monty Python, Richard Pryor, Billy Connolly and Robin Williams.”

    In the U.S., Izzard is the first solo stand-up comedian to perform at the Hollywood Bowl; has sold-out three consecutive nights at Radio City Music Hall and toured arenas throughout the U.S. including a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden.

    “Izzard’s unique, tangential, absurd, and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit, earning him a New York Drama Desk Award and two Emmys for Dress to Kill, two British Comedy Awards for Top Stand-Up Comedian, and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement,” a press release states.

    On televison, Izzard recently starred in the PlayStation original series “Powers” and guest starred in the series “Hannibal” on NBC.

    Izzard’s film and stage credits includes “Valkyrie,” “Ocean’s Thirteen” and “Ocean’s Twelve,” David Mamet’s “Race and The Cryptogram,” the title role in Marlowe’s “Edward II,” and “A Day in the Death of Joe Egg” in London and on Broadway, which won him a handful of awards, including a Tony nomination for Best Actor.