Izzard as female reimagining of Dr Jekyll, anyone ?

Eddie Izzard is a hilarious comedian and a great actor. There have been quite a few productions where a male character has been played by a female- Maxine Peak, Fiona Shaw etc. I can't think of any male actor who has played a female lead, so perhaps it is time. Although as she identifies as gender fluid I'm not sure it can be completely described as such. Still I'm sure she will see the funny side of it all

To broaden the debate a little, the SNP is to consider introducing women-only train carriages in Scotland. How’s that going to work when the SNP also says that anyone who claims to be a woman is a woman?

That wasn’t really my point Pammie1.

Izzard will be acting, I.e. pretending to be a woman Doctor Jekyll.

I would be furious if Izzard were to win ‘Besf Female Lead’ for it though. Trans, fluid or whatever, Izzard can never be female. That’s biology for you.

No I wasn't a frilly, flouncy, toe pointing girly either Iam, but my granddaughter was when she was little so that's girly to me. I get very irritated by the one dimensional view of women that is projected by SOME transwomen and drag artistes in particular, all flicky hair, short, short skirts, heavy makeup, vertiginous heels, long nails, fluttery eyelashes just a parody!

In itself, I couldn't care less what Izzard does in one role, but I do feel that this is exactly what many of us have been saying for ages. When men can say they are women and stamp on anyone who says differently, all the work that women did for years to carve out roles for themselves has gone. This is a role being taken from a woman in a literal sense, but it will spread to all sorts of others that are traditionally female, remove female categories in areas such as sport and destroy the very few female shortlists that still exist. At the same time, words like 'mother' are being corrupted to become 'gender-neutral'.

I note that Adele has been getting flak for saying that whilst she understands the reason behind having gender-neutral awards, she is a woman, and enjoys being a woman. As soon as I heard her say it I knew what would happen, and sure enough, it did. If women can't say they are women, but we have to say that transwomen are women on pain of being 'cancelled' (or worse), we really have fallen down the rabbit hole.

Well TerriBull, those of us born and lived as women are way beyond girly mode even earlier than our 50’s. That’s if we ever were in girly mode - on reflection I don’t believe I ever was one of those oink frilly frock girls. Despite that, I’ve always been female, lived my life as a woman, experienced all the stuff we have to manage, menstruation, menopause, childbirth (those of us able to do that)
I confess to feeling irritated as can be with middle aged men who put on a frock and self ID. They have no idea.

When a person is late '50s they have surely passed through "girly mode" that conjures up images of little girls dressing up in "The Let it Go" Frozen mode or whatever the Disney equivalent is for flouncy 5 year olds these days. "Girly" rather trivialises the role of a mature woman who is possibly coping with among other things, the menopause. That rarely left me feeling particularly girly, more like exhausted, frazzled, and hot! that's hot temperature wise and not hot as "don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me" mode!

Exactly, Pammie.

Iam64

I’m less worried about men.women playing roles. Maxine Peake as Hamlet added something. The black actor who plated Ann Boleyn (sorry for not remembering her name) - where theatre is concerned I can enjoy something new . I don’t feel like that about the trans woman who is a whip fetishist who has a key role in the girl guides.

But there is a difference. The role of Hamlet ‘reimagined’ as a woman was played by a woman. No problem. To reimagine a traditionally male role as female and then give the role to a man, to play the female. That, I have a problem with.

I’m less worried about men.women playing roles. Maxine Peake as Hamlet added something. The black actor who plated Ann Boleyn (sorry for not remembering her name) - where theatre is concerned I can enjoy something new . I don’t feel like that about the trans woman who is a whip fetishist who has a key role in the girl guides.

I guess he'll be worrying about what to wear

Blossoming

Eddie Izzard will be acting a fictional rôle so I don’t see that it matters.

It matters because the ‘reimagined’ role is that of a woman - Nina Jekyll. I can’t see any reason why the role needs to be filled by a man - all sorts of implications for female actors.

Ilovecheese

I hope the pay is the usual rate for a woman.

I imagine he might have over exaggerated PMT

He’s gender fluid? How can anyone know which is the appropriate pronoun without seeing him?

The main question is - can he act or not?

Eddie Izzard will be acting a fictional rôle so I don’t see that it matters.

I saw Maxine Peake play Hamlet a few years ago.

She’s gender fluid and I assume the character will be as well - really looking forward to this!

Don’t like the man that much, and don’t rate him very highly in the acting world He plays on the she/he business and I find that irritating. Be what ever you want to be but I don’t need to hear all about it Just get on with acting mate and stop trying to be ‘different’ to gain popularity I m not interested in his gender

I have never liked him so won't be bothering with watching him.

Pammie1 totally agree.

I don’t like him or rate him anyway so I won’t be watching. I don’t think men’s gender fluid is a topic I want to read about.

We saw Eddie Izzard performing in Oxford years ago. Hilarious. It was his first time on stage in a dress and makeup. He made a little announcement about it.

Grandmabatty

He isn't female though, unless I've missed something. I know he wears woman's clothes but I have never heard he identified as a woman. Happy to be proved wrong

So if it’s a female reimagining of the role and Eddie Izzard doesn’t identify as a woman, why has he landed the role ? All very confusing.

Iam64

Grandmabatty, he says he has days where he wakes up in girly mode.
He’s a brilliant actor and I like him but - is this like cultural appropriation ?

So how is he going to play this?
As a male Dr Jekyll and female Ms Hyde?
Or vice versa?

I wonder what Robert Louis Stevenson would make of it.