It was bound to be a night of laughter, memories and tears as
Dame Edna Everage took to the stage at the Capitol Theatre to bade farewell at the beginning of her final tour,
Eat Pray Laugh !.
The first hour was given over to
Sir Les Patterson who despite a severe attack of Montezuma's Revenge insisted on treating audience members to an on-stage BBQ in between Sir Les rushing for relief in a handy stage loo complete with amplified sound effects.
Sir Les introduced his brother Gerard Patterson, a Catholic priest who seemed much taken with Dame Edna's young Asian male pianist despite his correctional ankle bracelet sounding an alarm. According to Les, Gerard is a
"card carrying member of the Vagina Deniers Club ".
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| Maria Venuti |
The late Sandy Stone gave a final discourse about his life on Earth before ascending to the heavens in his armchair to the sounds of
My Blue Heaven.
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| Dame Edna's manager Barry Humphries & Lizzie Spender |
And then it was time for the grand Dame herself, arriving on an elephant with a decidedly Indian theme. Apparently Dame Edna's manager
Barry Humphries has signed Edna to a long Bollywood film contract after mistakenly believing he was signing a
Hollywood film contract.
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| artist John Olsen |
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| Bruce Beresford |
This was a night with Dame Edna at her best and those in the 'ashtrays' and upstairs circle were invited to
"cling on like fruit bats" with the star promising to glance at them occasionally in direct proportion to their ticket prices. We heard the latest on her children, the dress designer Kenny and her daughter Val Mai with her numerous piercings who is in show biz as well, performing at the women's only
Clit Clat Club in Marrickville.
Various hapless audience members were grilled as to their bedroom decor and few were spared Edna's pithy comments. The finale was as expected, with every audience member, stomachs aching from laughter provided with their own gladioli and a standing ovation to wish the Dame farewell.
And a final appearance from Barry Humphries with thanks to the audience and a hope that they would all attend the next farewell tour.
As for Dame Edna's future plans-she's been telling a UK newspaper that a biographical film of her life is in the planning :"
little Carey Mulligan will be playing me, Helen Mirren will play my grandmother and that dear little Judy Dench will be my bridesmaid Madge".
It's just the beginning of Dame Edna's world tour and at 78 years of age could be her last. Run don't walk and get tickets now wherever you are. They're going like hotcakes and it's a seriously funny night of laughs.
