Joseph Planta's Commentary - thecommentary.ca

Friday, 02 September 2004

Dame Edna Lives at the Palace

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER - Recently, I bought the two DVD set of the first season of Dame Edna Everage's chat show from the 1980s, The Dame Edna Experience. It's a tad dated with references akin to 1980s vernacular however, it's still funny. Despite having guests on like Charlton Heston, Larry Hagman, and Rudolf Nureyev, it's still Dame Edna's show, and justifiably so, she steals it.

Dame Edna Everage is the character donned by the multi-talented performer, Barry Humphries. Humphries is one of Australia's biggest exports in show business long before Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Kylie Minogue, and far more durable than Olivia Newton-John. So famous is Dame Edna, that people don't usually know its creator. Some think that the character isn't even a character, that there is such an ostentatious old Dame of a megastar in real life.

Dame Edna Everage is currently workshopping a new stage production in the United States, before hitting the boards of Broadway this winter. The character is a mainstay of popular culture, and the shows are always smash. It won a Tony four years ago, and when the last Dame Edna spectacle hit this town in the fall of 2002, it was a big hit here. I suppose it's the edgy and insulting humour that I favour. Don Rickles and Joan Rivers are probably my favourite no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoner comics. Ditto Don Imus, whom I worship. Dame Edna is right up there, and for reason. Dame Edna can host such illustrious guests as Zsa Zsa Gabor, or the famed author Jeffrey Archer, but the show is less and less about the guests brought on, rather about her, and of course all done at the expense of the said guests, despite any fame or infamy they may have.

Bravo!, Canada's self described "NewStyleArtsChannel," channel 40 in Vancouver if you've got Shaw, will debut for its Canadian television premiere the latest and most recent Dame Edna television special, Dame Edna Live at the Palace. When it debuted in Britain over Christmas last year it was a smash, thanks no doubt to the guests it featured. The Osbourne clan was in full regalia, while the Academy Award winning actor Jeremy Irons, opera's Lesley Garrett, Mel C, late of the Spice Girls, actress Tamzin Outhwaite, and Jerry Hall, ex of Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger, showed up as well. Speaking of the Stones, Ronnie Wood drops in and throughout the program paints a portrait of the Dame herself.

Dame Edna Live at the Palace is full of hijinx and Dame Edna at her wicked and caring best. The show is not cutting edge as when she was in Vancouver last, or as exceptional as her previous series. It's obvious that Humphries and his Dame Edna alter ego have aged a bit, but the show is still topical and Dame Edna (or Humphries) can be counted on for quick witty remarks. Allusion to the royal scandal facing Charles and an aide are made, as are remarks regarding Kevin Spacey's questioned sexuality. The break up of Liza Minnelli from David Gest was mentioned, as was Tony Blair's ticker trouble. A faux Posh and Becks, Victoria and David Beckham make an appearance, as does "The Queen" herself. The odd thing is that the press release from Bravo!, as well as the listing on the BBC website touts an appearance by "pop icon Lulu." Having viewed the cassette that Bravo sent, Miss Lulu is nowhere to be seen, not even in a passing cameo. Someone who is is long-time Dame Edna foil, Madge Alsop, who is caught bedding Ozzy Osbourne herself. Madge must be in her late 90s now.

If you like a bit of edge in your humour with a dollop of caring, and a swat of glamour, check out Dame Edna Live at the Palace, Saturday night at 6.30 Pacific (9.30 Eastern) on Bravo!

-30-

Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca

An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .