Barry Humphries bares all in new Australian show
Barry Humphries (right)
will take Australian audiences on a revelatory trip through his life and theatrical career when he tours Australia in May 2018 with Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask.
In an intimate, confessional evening – seasoned with highly personal, sometimes startling, and occasionally outrageous stories – Humphries will be peeling off his mask to introduce the man behind the clown.
For more than 60 years, Humphries has held a mirror to Australia and Australians, revealing their virtues, their foibles, their triumphs and their failings through a gallery of adored characters, including Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Paterson and Sandy Stone.
Now he will spin the mirror around, exposing his own highs and lows, the good times and the not so good. Themes include Humphries’ Australian childhood, family relationships, attitudes, career, and his experiences as one of the world’s most acclaimed entertainers.
“This is a show in which I am the principal character; it’s not Les, it’s not Edna, it’s not Sandy Stone. It is really about this character called ‘me’. I’m not in disguise,” Humphries says.
“It is the story of my generation, it is a story of a life spent in the theatre and a life spent in comedy, and it will show what it is like to be a clown. In a way, this is perhaps the bravest thing I’ve ever done and I hope the most entertaining. I think people might be agreeably shocked and they certainly will learn much they didn’t know.”
Audiences can expect a virtuoso, comic, solo performance filled with laughter, drama and surprise. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and the magic of technology may even allow appearances – or interruptions – by unexpected guests.
“Audio-visual technology has made dramatic strides in my life and it’s now possible for me to be on stage with one of my own characters. They may intrude. I might be interrupted,” he hints. “I might even be upstaged!”
Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask is being produced and promoted by TEG Dainty. Newcastle: Saturday 5 May, 8 pm and Sunday 6 May, 1 pm at Civic Theatre Newcastle Brisbane: Thursday 10 May, 3 pm & 8pm at Concert Hall, QPAC Gold Coast: Saturday 12 May, 8 pm and Sunday 13 May 3 pm at The Star Gold Coast Canberra: Wednesday 16 May, 8 pm at Royal Theatre Canberra Sydney: Thursday 17 May, 8 pm and Friday 18 May, 8 pm at Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney Melbourne: Wednesday 23 May 8 pm and Thursday 24 May, 8pm at Hamer Hall Adelaide: Wednesday 30 May, 8 pm and Thursday 31 May, 8pm at Festival Theatre Geelong: Saturday 2 June, 2 pm & 8 pm at Deakin’s Costa Hall
Visit tegdainty.com for ticket information.
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