Dame Edna About To Tour Again

[PeterRS]

I thought he must be in a retirement home by now - or should that be 'she'? It's a long time since we heard about the gay icon Dame Edna Everage. But even at age 88 she is still on the go. Next month she starts a 2 month The Man Behind The Mask tour around the UK. Well, I suppose it really should be 'he' for it is Barry Humphries who is touring and others appearing will no doubt be legendary characters like Sir Les Patterson.

I once had the opportunity of meeting him. I was in Hong Kong and had had discussions with his manager, at that time John Reid. Barry wanted to do a week's season in a theatre in Hong Kong. After all, he had something to prove. In the late 70's he had done a stint at a cabaret restaurant at the top of the Mandarin Hotel - and totally bombed. Reid wanted me to meet him to give him some background on the territory.

As requested, I called him at the Regent hotel on the other side of the harbour. He was charming. Rather than my going over to see him, he would be shopping in the afternoon. Could I meet him in the lobby of the Mandarin Hotel at 5:00pm? He suggested he tell me what he was wearing so I would recognise him. Oh, that's certainly not necessary, I said, as you are such a well known personality.

Five minutes in advance, I was plonked on a comfy armchair in the lobby. I waited. Still I waited. By ten past 5:00, I realised the personality I knew was Dame Edna, not Barry Humphries. What if i missed him? So from then on I asked almost every middle-aged man who entered with shopping bags if he was "Mr. Humphries"! I felt so stupid. Eventually he arrived at 5:35 wearing a double breasted suit and carrying at least six large shopping bags. He was full of apologies. We ended up having a lovely long chat and I met Mrs. Humphries #3. I helped as much as I could but he was never to appear in Hong Kong. I understood from a promoter that he wanted a large fee on account of around 90% of all revenues including sponsorships.

Around the end of the 1980s, as Dame Edna he did a series of interview shows for one of the London TV companies with many famous guests. Some were hilarious, including one with Sean Connery. This used to be available on youtube but has sadly been taken down.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/mar/05/this-much-i-know-barry-humphries-edna-can-say-things-i-could-not-possibly-express

[Lonnie]

6 hours ago, PeterRS said:

gay icon Dame Edna Everage

 

[a-447]

I went to his show here in Perth a few years ago.

Having seen many of his performances on youtube, a few live shows and video (remember vcr?) which my friends had taped years ago, I was very disappointed with the show. I had heard all the jokes, except one, many times before. Given the price of the ticket I think the audience deserved a new show, not a rehash of old material.

Given his age, he had a lot of trouble walking on the stage; he spend most of the time standing in one place. His banter with the audience was the same old, same old.

"Come straight from work, have you?"

"How can I describe your dress? Affordable, I'd say."

 Halfway through the show he sat down and we watched replays of his old TV shows where he interviewed famous people. 

The audience who were familiar with his work were unimpressed to say the least! We felt chested and didn't zodiacs the way he had taken us for granted.

Still, the few younger members of the audience would have enjoyed it.

[Lonnie]

9 hours ago, PeterRS said:

Barry Humphries

 

[a-447]

Quote

We felt chested and didn't zodiacs the way he had taken us for granted.

Should read : We felt cheated and didn't appreciate the way he had taken us for granted.

(Damn auto-correct!!)