Dame Edna’s Final Bow (Possibly)

Photo by Alastair Muir
Photo by Alastair Muir

It was with great excitement that my friend Adam and I went to see Dame Edna last night; not least because, since adopting two lovely children, it has been some considerable time since Adam left the house other than to top up his supply of turkey dinosaurs and baked beans. In fact, he was so delighted at having brokered a night out that he introduced a daily countdown from a week out and wore his most favourite shirt. I’m not sure the PlayMobil sheep in the back pocket was necessary, but it came along for the ride anyway.

‘Eat, Pray, Laugh’ is Barry Humphries’ Farewell Tour and is on at the Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday 1st March. The show includes his iconic alter egos: Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage. The man himself describes it as “group therapy” and suggests that audience members can expect singing, dancing and “at least one major laugh per half minute”, and the lucky ones may be invited on stage for something of an “Edna makeover”. Having read about this audience participation in advance I made sure to hide away behind a very tall man. I forgot to warn Adam, but fortunately his favourite shirt is of red velvet with gold trim and so he camouflaged well against the Grand’s seating.

The show is spectacular and includes cleverly designed sets that transport you from a country garden, where you meet Sir Les Patterson and his brother Gerrard for plenty of innuendo and frolics, to Bollywood, where Dame Edna is ready to impart her wisdom to you after learning to love herself through intensive yoga and prayer; she’s excelled and now absolutely adores herself. On a couple of occasions audience members are invited on stage to join in the fun and at other times Dame Edna satisfies herself with dishing out advice to people in the front three rows. And by advice, I mean insults.

Another character, Sandy Stone, makes an appearance for a sudden change in pace and some sharp witted observation on care for the elderly and, when the rumpus is done, Barry Humphries himself takes to the stage in a wonderful velvet smoking jacket. The whole thing is very eye-catching and entertaining, though perhaps that is only to be expected when you have Simon Philips, who directed the original Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Brian Thomson, who designed the original London production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, on board.

The tour has already visited Australia and New Zealand where there was such demand for tickets that additional performances needed to be added to satisfy the numerous fans and the house was packed for the opening night in Leeds. If you’re thinking of going, you’ll need to act fast – the Leeds Grand Theatre is the only venue in Yorkshire to host the tour and it is only on until 1st March. Tickets are priced from £20 to £47.50, with some premium tickets available if you want to push the boat out.

To book, visit www.leedsgrandtheatre.com or call the box office on 0844 848 2700.

Do go, and report back! Goodbye possums.