LONDON, Nov 27, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Award-winning comedian and actor EDDIE IZZARD is set to return to the West End stage December 5 to star in Peter Nichol's bittersweet comedy, "A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg," at the Comedy Theatre in London, while Izzard will soon revisit the big screen starring in "The Cat's Meow" with Kirsten Dunst and "All The Queen's Men" with Matt LeBlanc. Meanwhile, this past summer Izzard filmed "The Revengers Tragedy" on location in Liverpool, directed by Alex Cox.

Izzard is currently in rehearsals for "Joe Egg," taking over for Clive Owen as Bri, the young father struggling to come to terms with the burden of caring for his severely brain-damaged daughter. He joins original cast members Victoria Hamilton (as wife Sheila) and Prunella Scales (as Bri's mother Grace). Izzard's previous stage credits include the critically acclaimed "Lenny" -- of which Eddie's performance was called, "The most phenomenal performance of the London stage," by the Daily Mail and a "tour de force," by the New York Times -- as well as David Mamet's "The Cryptogram," "Edward II" and "900 Oneonta."

In early April, Lions Gate Films is releasing "The Cat's Meow," a tale of scandal and intrigue set in the glamorous world of '20s Hollywood, directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Eddie plays the role of Charlie Chaplin, with Kirsten Dunst as Marion Davies, Edward Herrmann as William Randolph Hearst, Cary Elwes as ill-fated Hollywood mogul Thomas Ince, infamous gossip columnist Louella Parsons is played by Jennifer Tilly and Joanna Lumley co-stars as racy English novelist Eleanor Glyns. Initial praise for Izzard's performance includes Movieline, which noted: "Eddie Izzard provides a smooth, magnetic impersonation of Chaplin."

Also to be released mid-December in Germany and Austria is "All The Queen's Men" with Izzard and Matt LeBlanc starring in this World War II comedy of cross-dressed spies infiltrating an all-female employed factory producing coding machines. (US release date pending.)

Most recently, Izzard wrapped filming "A Revenger's Tragedy" directed by Alex Cox ("Sid & Nancy," "Repo Man"), which co-stars Derek Jacobi, Christopher Eccleston and Sophie Dahl. The film transposes Thomas Middleton's 17th century play to post-apocalyptic Merseyside.

Despite all the stage and screen action, Izzard is not abandoning his live roots. Eddie is in the planning stages for a world tour in 2003, beginning in Berlin, where Izzard will perform his show in German. A slight problem -- he hasn't learned the language yet. But, if he can find the time in his hectic schedule, Izzard promises he'll be off the phrase book by the end of next year.

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