Barry Humphries, whose alter egos include inebriated cultural attaché, the Honorable Sir Les Patterson, the grandfatherly Sandy Stone, and Moonee Ponds' legendary housewife, Dame Edna Everage, comes to Edinburgh as part of a Farewell World tour. Read more …
"So, Possums in Edinburgh, please do come and say goodbye to me. It would be lovely to see your faces for the last time."
During the all-singing, all-dancing spectacular, Dame Edna promises to "empower" audiences as she meditates on the big issues.
"You will see me at the height of my powers, taking you on a wonderful spiritual journey you'll never forget. I'm not saying my show will heal you, but you'll certainly leave the theatre feeling considerably better for the experience."
While Act One of Eat Pray Laugh! features Humphries with his friends Sir Les and Sandy Stone, this really serves as "just a bit of foreplay really before I make an orgasmic appearance in Act Two",
Dame Edna has taken Australia and New Zealand by storm for her farewell tour; receiving rapturous standing ovations and reviews.
Sir Les’ xenophobia might satirically reflect some Australians’ unease with outsiders, but this crowd gobbled up gags about the Chinese and Poles with a little too much non-ironic relish. Happily, the memory of Edna riding in on an Indian elephant and departing in a sea of joyful gladioli-waving is a more fragrant image to take from this career-ending bash.
Humphries is a unique voice in comedy. And coming out of the theatre after the show, it feels as if you have been privileged to have seen him perform.
Ultimately however, her appearance goes to show that some of Barry Humphries’ creations will be missed a great deal more than the others.
The entire, two-hour-and-twenty-minute show is carried off with a delightful sure-footedness which is the hallmark of a truly great stage comedian.
Bawdy, bold, loud, lecherous, lewd, the adjectives are running out to describe Barry Humphries’ farewell tour.
Barry Humphries on Dame Edna and her retirement
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh from Tuesday November 5, 2013, until Saturday November 9, 2013. More info: http://www.edtheatres.com/festival
King's Theatre, Glasgow from Tuesday February 11, 2014, until Saturday February 15, 2014. More info: www.theambassadors.com/kings/
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