Barry Humphries (1934-)
Historical notes
Barry Humphries, born 1934 in Melbourne is a multi-talented actor, artist and author. He began his stage career in 1952 in Call Me Madman. As actor he has invented many satiric Australian characters such as Sandy Stone, Lance Boyle, Debbie Thwaite, Neil Singleton and Barry (Bazza) McKenzie but his most famous creations are Dame Edna Everage debuted in 1955 and Sir Les Paterson in 1974. Edna, Les and Bazza between them have made several sound recordings, written books and appeared in films and television and have been the subject of exhibitions. Since the 1960s Humphries' career has alternated between England, Australia and the USA giving solo shows, with his material becoming more international. Barry Humphries' autobiography More Please (1992) won him the J.R. Ackerley Prize in 1993. He has won various awards for comedy and as TV personality. In 1994 he was accorded an honorary doctorate from Griffith University, Queensland. He was given an Order of Australia in 1982.
Material written by or about Humphries is available on the Library's catalogue. This includes published works, oral history interviews, music, manuscripts, biographical cuttings, pictorial works, films and video recordings.
Holdings list
This Holdings list is a listing of programs which document Barry Humphries on stage in Australia and overseas from the beginning of his career in the 1950s, based on material in the National Library of Australia's PROMPT collection. This PROMPT collection also includes cuttings from newspapers and other ephemera relating to Humphries. The PROMPT Collection is the name given to the National Library's collection of programs and ephemera relating to the history of Australia's performing arts and culture.
Access
Material from the PROMPT collection is available for use through the Petherick Reading Room, Ground Floor. Readers should complete an electronic call slip for the following catalogue record:.
Australian programs
| 1955 | Mr and Mrs; Phillip Street Theatre;
Sydney. Barry Humphries in various revue sketches. |
| 1956, Dec. 14 | Alice in Wonderland; Phillip Street theatre, Sydney. Barry Humphries as Caterpillar, Mad Hatter, 7 of Spades. Christmas pantomime. |
| 1956/57 | Around the Loop; Phillip Street
Theatre, Sydney. -1956 copy with cast change slip in red print has program of 29 items. BH lyricist of Colour question and in various revue sketches. -1957 copy has program of 30 items many which differ from the 1956 program. BH lyricist of A Moment for Stocktaking and in various revue sketches. -Another 1957 copy with cast change slip in black print has program of 32 items many which differ from the 1957 program. BH in various revue sketches. All copies contain portraits of BH. |
| 1958 May- | The Bunyip and the Satellite;
Independent Theatre, Sydney. By Peter O'Shaughnessy and Jeffrey Underhill with the assistance of Barry Humphries. BH as the Bunyip. Copies held in PROMPT Collection under Independent Theatre, Sydney. |
| 1958 | Rock 'n Reel; Melbourne. Barry Humphries in an intimate revue; written by Barry Humphries and Peter O'Shaughnessy. Production by Peter O'Shaughnessy. |
| 1959 | Peter O'Shaughnessy, Barry Humphries testimonial performance; Assembly Hall [Melbourne]. Review of their work over the past few years. |
| 1962 | A Nice Nights Entertainment; Australian Tour. |
| 1964 Mar. | Mumba Jumba and the Bunyip; Unley Town Hall, SA by Peter O'Shaughnessy. Lyrics by BH. Music by Valerie Fawcett. 4 p. Also 1 p. of details of production in the general 1964 Adelaide Festival program. Copies held in PROMPT Collection under Adelaide Festival of the Arts, 3rd, 1964. |
| 1965 Dec. 29 | Mumba Jumba and the Bunyip; St. Martin's Theatre, Melbourne. /1966 by Peter O'Shaughnessy. Lyrics by BH. Music by Val Marriott. 4 p. ; 23 cm. Copies held in PROMPT Collection under St. Martin's Theatre, Melbourne. |
| 1965 | "Excuse I", another Nice Nights Entertainment; [Australian tour] |
| 1965 Oct. | "Excuse I", Another Nice Nights Entertainment; Brisbane; J C Williamson Theatres Ltd. Large format, 25 cm. |
| 1965 | "Excuse I", Another Nice Nights Entertainment; Melbourne; J C Williamson Theatres Ltd. |
| 1965 Dec | "Excuse I", Another Nice Nights Entertainment; Adelaide, Her Majesty's Theatre |
| 1965/1966 | "Excuse I", Another Nice Nights Entertainment; Sydney; Royal Theatre. |
| 1966, Feb. | "Excuse I", Another Nice Nights Entertainment; Melbourne, J C Williamson Theatres Ltd. |
| 1968 | Just A Show; Australian Tour. |
| 1968, July | Just A Show; Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide |
| 1968 Aug. | Just A Show; Tivoli Theatre; Sydney. |
| 1971 | A Load Of Old Stuffe; Playbox Theatre;
Sydney. A divertissement in two acts; one copy labeled First Night. |
| 1974 | At Least You Can Say You've Seen It; "A tragi-farce in two acts". Cover inc. photo. of Dame Edna with her new grandson Troy Everage. |
| 1975 | At Last You Can Say You've Seen It; Her Majesty's Theatre; Melbourne. Cover inc. a sketch of Dame Edna against a purple background. |
| 1978 | Isn't It Pathetic At His Age? Her
Majesty's Theatre; Sydney. World Premier, May 24. |
| 1978 | Isn't It Pathetic At His Age? Comedy Theatre; Melbourne. |
| 1979 | A Night Out With Dame Edna; Australian
Tour. A deluxe keepsake program. |
| 1981 | A Evening's Intercourse; Australian Tour. |
| 1983 | Song of Australia; Regent Theatre,
Sydney and Melbourne Concert Hall. An educational sonarama crafted by Barry Humphries and Carl Davis. |
| 1985 | Tears Before Bedtime; [Melbourne ?]. |
| 1988 | Dame Edna's Australian Walkabout; Special guest Sir Les Patterson. |
| 1991 | The Life And Death Of Sandy Stone;
Athenaeum Theatre; Melbourne. "De Luxe programme". |
| 1993 | Look At Me When I'm Talking To You;
"Barry Humphries pictorial companion". |
| 1999 | Remember You're Out! "Limited edition collectors' souvenir" |
| 2003 | Back to my roots (Australian Tour) |
| 2006 | Barry Humphries & friends: Back with a vengeance – a new effort. |
Overseas programs
| 1959, Dec. | The Demon Barber; Lyric Opera House;
Hammersmith, London. Barry Humphries as Jonas Fogg. |
| 1960 | Oliver!; New Theatre, London. Barry Humphries as Mr Sowerberry; 4 copies. |
| 1963 | The Bedsitting Room, Comedy Theatre, London. Barry Humphries as Captain Bules Martin |
| 1963, Feb. | Oliver!; Imperial Theatre,
London. Barry Humphries as Mr Sowerberry. Playbill,v.1, no.9, Feb.25, 1963. |
| 1963 | Oliver!; [New York] Barry Humphries as
Mr Sowerberry. Large format |
| 1964 | Merry Roosters Panto; Wydnham's
Theatre, London. Barry Humphries as Heinrich, a scientist. |
| 1964 Mar. | A Kayf Up West; Theatre Royal;
Stratford, London. Barry Humphries as Gregorius, 2nd Policeman, Nun, Lord Sexkilling, and "Tools" Gunstone. |
| 1964 | Maggie May; Palace Theatre, Manchester. Barry Humphries as Balladeer. |
| 1964 Sept. | Maggie May; Adelphi Theatre, London;
Barry Humphries as Balladeer; 2 copies. |
| 1967 | Oliver!; Piccadilly Theatre, London.
Barry Humphries as Fagin. |
| 1969 | Just A Show; Fortune Theatre, London. |
| 1976 | Housewife! Superstar!!; Apollo
Theatre, London. Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, Les Patterson, Sandy Stone. 2 copies - March 1976. Apollo Theatre 3 copies - May, July 1976. Globe Theatre |
| 1977 | Housewife! Superstar!!; Theatre Four, Off-Broadway, New York. |
| 1977, Oct 19. | Housewife! Superstar!!; Theatre Four, New York. |
| 1978/79 | A Night With Dame Edna; Piccadilly
Theatre, London. |
| 1981 | The Secret Policeman's Other Ball;
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. 1981 Amnesty International Comedy Gala. Port. of Barry Humphries |
| 1981 | The Last Night Of The Poms; Royal
Albert Hall, London. Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, Sir Les Patterson. "Official souvenir programme" |
| 1982 | An Evening's Intercourse; Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. |
| 1983 | Carl Davis in Croydon. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. |
| 1987/88 | Back With a Vengeance; The Strand,
London; |
| 1988, Mar. 27 | Sunday with Sondheim; featuring a celebrity tribute to Stephen Sondheim and a concert version of Merrily We Roll Along; Shaftesbury Theatre. Special guest artists appearances including Dame Edna Everage with twelve others. |
| 1989, April | A Royal Gala in aid of the Prince's Trust : an
evening of contemporary music and comedy celebrating 21 years of London Weekend
Television. In the Presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and
Princess of Wales ; London Palladium. Barry Humphries has top billing. |
| 1989, Sept.13 | Noel Coward's Semi-monde; Royalty
Theatre, London. Royalty Theatre Company BH as one of the hotel guests and staff |
| 1989 | Back With a Vengeance, The Second Coming; Theatre Royal, Drury Lane London. |
| 1994 | Oliver!; London Palladium. Barry Humphries given top billing playing Fagin. Program notes address him as Dr. |
| 1995, Oct. | Look At Me When I’m Talking To You!; The Grand, Theatre & Opera House, Leeds. |
| 1995, Oct. | Look At Me When I'm Talking To You!; Palace Theatre, Manchester. |
| 1995, Nov. | Look At Me When I'm Talking To You!; Empire Theatre, Liverpool. |
| 1997 | Jack In Review; Lyric Theatre, London. A memorial tribute to the critic Jack Tinker. Barry Humphries in The Ladies Who Lunch |
| 1997, Feb. | Jack In Review; London Palladium. A memorial tribute to the critic Jack Tinker. Barry Humphries in The Ladies Who Lunch |
| 1997, Oct. | Dame Edna Everage In An Evening Of Innocent
Austral Verse; Wigmore Hall, London. Master Series I: A Festival of Australian Music, Artists and Poetry, as part of new Images, Australia and Britain into the 21st Century. Program notes introduce him as Dr. |
| 1997, Nov. | Australian Festival;
Wigmore Hall, London |
| 1998, Mar. | Edna -- The Spectacle; Theatre Royal, Plymouth. |
| 1998, April | New Edna - The Spectacle : An Icon Returns; Theatre Royal, Haymarket. |
| 1998, May 17 | Sondheim Tonight - a gala concert celebrating
the music of Stephen Sondheim for the benefit of the Alan Jay Lerner Fund for
Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital; Barbican Centre,
London. The Ladies Who Lunch - Dame Edna Everage Includes port. of Dame Everage |
| 1999, Nov. | Dame Edna - The Royal Tour; The Booth Theatre; New York |
| 2000, Mar. | Dame Edna – The Royal Tour; The Booth Theatre; New York |
| 2000, June | Tony Awards; Radio City Music Hall, New York. BH was awarded “A Special Tony Award for a Live Theatrical Event” will be presented to the production of Dame Edna :The Royal Tour |
| 2001, Jan | Dame Edna - The Royal Tour; Parker Playhouse; Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| 2001, July 4, 8, 17-22 | Dame Edna - The Royal Tour; Tropicana Casino/Resort; Atlantic City |
| 2004, Nov. | Dame Edna – Back with a Vengeance; The Music Box; USA |
| 2004, Dec. | Dame Edna – Back with a Vengeance; The Music Box; USA |
