Izzard and Hamilton enchant Broadway

He is a veteran of the stand-up wars, a comic whose cheeky grin and penchant for dressing up in women’s clothing have given him cult status in certain circles.

She is a classically trained actress with sterling theatrical credentials that range from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Sir Peter Hall’s acting company at the Old Vic to the National Theatre.

So what are Eddie Izzard and Victoria Hamilton doing together on the same stage?

The answer is appearing in a Broadway revival of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Peter Nichols’ mordant comedy about a desperate husband and wife coping with their severely brain damaged daughter.

The production, a hit last season in London, was imported to New York by the Roundabout Theatre Company, augmented by an American supporting cast.

Izzard, though, was not in it from the beginning.

The actor joined the London cast of Joe Egg in late 2001 after the play had been running for a while.

He had caught the eye of director Laurence Boswell who was looking for a replacement for the original leading man, Clive Owen.

Izzard went on with only a week of rehearsal and was a huge success.