What a piece of work is Eddie Izzard. The first time this critic experienced the inimitable Brit holding court in San Francisco, the self-described “action transvestite” was a riotous laugh machine, giddily pivoting from James Bond lampoons to Stonehenge musings in the absurdly hilarious “Dress to Kill.”
Now the gender-fluid grand dame is back in a solo “Hamlet,” a brisk sprint through the iconic Shakespearean tragedy.
Alas, there’s little room in this tragic masterpiece for Izzard’s signature brand of lacerating wit. Absent that standup vibe, the live-wire stream-of-consciousness ad libs for which she is rightly revered, Izzard feels far less electric on stage.
Bedecked in black leather, she shimmies through all 23 parts in this solo show, in a streamlined adaptation by Mark Izzard that’s a bit too briskly directed by Selina Cadell.
While Izzard vamps up a storm here, sporting effortlessly chic cherry-red lips and nails, many of the roles feel less than fleshed out. Those unfamiliar with the play may lose the thread in this iambic marathon as Izzard madly dashes to and fro, making the first act drag.
The Bard is certainly enduring enough to stand up to myriad interpretations of the text but the theatrical aesthetic isn’t sharp enough here to penetrate the poetry fully.
The portrait of the melancholy Dane himself lacks gravitas, alas, which undercuts the existential power of the play. The frantic pace also conspires against the depth of passion. The ill-fated Ophelia gets short shrift here, as does the Queen.
It’s in the comic moments that this “Hamlet” shines brightest. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tickle the funny bone as dueling hand puppets. The snarky gravediggers make for great mirth telling people to “bugger off.”
Even Izzard’s brief epilogue, charmingly dedicating the performance to a fellow thespian, crackles with more verve than the most famous of soliloquies. Clearly there’s something amiss in the state of Denmark.
Contact Karen D’Souza at karenpdsouza@yahoo.com.
‘EDDIE IZZARD HAMLET’
Presented by American Conservatory Theater
Through: April 20
Where: ACT’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market St., San Francisco
Running time: 2 hours 5 minutes, one intermission
Through: April 20
Details: $78-$127; www.act-sf.org