DVD review by Steve Bennett

It goes without saying that anyone who runs 43 back-to-back marathons is singularly driven. And that steel core of unbreakable, single-minded determination runs strong through Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story.

His Herculean achievement is, however, merely a postscript in this 103-minute documentary that mainly concerns itself with Izzard’s climb through the comedy circuit, from student sketch act to global star.

The impetus from this comes, as Izzard as indicated in so many pervious interviews, comes from the death of his mother from cancer when he was six. In the cathartic ‘money shot’, film-maker Sarah Townsend, a longstanding friend, captures him tearfully admitting that he always thought that if he ‘did enough things maybe she would come back’. As his tour promoter, Mick Perrin, says in probably the most telling comment of the documentary: he’s not sure if Izzard’s running towards something – or away from something.

That run began at Sheffield University, when he decided he wanted to become a comedian and actor, so beat a path to the Edinburgh Fringe. There he needed all his tenacity as he took arms against a sea of apathy, when all eyes were on Stephen Fry & Co’s Cambridge Footlights, rather than Izzard’s troupe.

Pushing himself further, Izzard then took to performing outdoors in Covent Garden where his escapology routine inspired the title for this film as you have to believe you will slip the chains or else the act will never work –  the same principle that applies to comedy He then joined the stand-up scene, where again his self-determination stood him in fine stead against the countless deaths his bizarre material provoked, as fellow street act turned comedian Andre Vincent recalls here.

Izzard got his big break came when he performed his now famous ‘raised by wolves’ routine at the Hysteria 3 charity show in 1991. Nonetheless, booking a West End theatre two years later for his first solo show, Live At The Ambassadors, when such runs were unheard of was also a huge leap of self-belief – but one that paid dividends.

His story is traced with plenty of rare archive footage – including him performing in a particularly gruesome shirt from the early Eighties. Brief interviews with the likes of Robin Williams and George Clooneys, as well as stand-up clips prove an entertaining counterpoint to the more serious moments when he talks about his childhood, his transvestism (not ‘drag’ as many commentators still seem intent on calling it), or his belief in Europe that led him to perform, in schoolboy French, in Paris.

In parallel with the career arc, Believe follows Izzard’s 2003 ‘comeback’ tour following the largely forgotten Watchdog report which vilified him for billing his tour as comprising ‘all new material’, when much of it had already appeared on DVD. Although by no means a major offence, the BBC investigation caused him to quit stand-up for three years to concentrate on his acting work. This Sexie tour is actually rather an odd thing to focus on, given that it was not only seven years ago, but also widely considered one of his less accomplished shows (last year’s Stripped proving a more definitive return to form).

While a good watch, the film won’t be hugely enlightening about Izzard for any fans who have already followed this career – although it surely won’t harm his reputation in the States, where he is still seen as an actor first and a stand-up second. As for what makes him tick, Marathon Man, the short BBC Three series that charted his Sport Relief efforts, cast more light on that – although that was buried so deep in the schedules few will have seen it. Sill, Believe will leave you struck with admiration for the dedication that has got Izzard where he is today.

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story
Running time: 103 minutes
Extras: Commentary, Bleeped Audio Track, Teddy Theatre, The Photograph, Vince Henderson Interview, WWII: The Sequel Promos, The Amazing Captain Keano, Wolves Sketch, The Eddie & Rob Street Show
Released by: 2entertain, today
Price: £19.99. Click here to buy from Amazon for £12.93

Published: 22 Nov 2010