Comedian Eddie Izzard to perform intimate Madrid stand-up gigs

Fans of surreal comedy are in for a rare treat in Madrid in April. British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard will be swinging by the Spanish capital to perform six nights of unique stand-up in an intimate venue.

Izzard’s comedy career began in the early 1980s in London, where he worked as a street performer before moving on to gigs at the famous Comedy Store club. In the 1990s he worked his way into the nation’s consciousness thanks to TV work, as well as ever-bigger stand-up tours.

Since then he has become something of an unstoppable force, breaking the US with solo performances at the Hollywood Bowl and a sell-out run at Madison Square Garden. He has also carved out a film career, appearing in Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen alongside Brad Pitt and George Clooney, as well as Tom Cruise World War II movie Valkyrie.

In recent years Izzard has raised nearly two million pounds for UK charities, thanks to his insane self-set challenge of running 43 marathons in 51 days in 2009.

His comedy routines are famed for their rambling, stream-of-consciousness style, as well as for Izzard's own cross-dressing. Drawing on influences such as Monty Python, he also peppers his routines with impersonations, mime and mimicry.

Audiences will no doubt be keen to see him trying out some español

Famously, Izzard has done stand-up gigs in languages other than his native English, performing in French for a three-month residency in Paris, as well as dabbling in German for a series of performances in Berlin. Audiences at the Madrid gigs will no doubt be keen to see him trying out a bit of español…

His current world tour, dubbed “Force Majeure,” looks set to be the biggest comedy event of all time, with dates planned in a total of 25 countries, including Russia, Latvia, Estonia, New Zealand, India and Nepal.

The Madrid appearances promise to be something special, given that the venue where he will be appearing, Ancora, only holds 100 people. The six-night run promises a unique experience for those lucky enough to grab tickets, offering a chance to see a big-room comedian in an intimate venue.

Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure. April 8-13 inclusive at Ancora, C/ Trafalgar 6, Madrid. Doors 8.30pm. For more information and to buy tickets see http://www.barcelonacomedyfestival.com/