Dame Edna's shimmering arrival (on the back of an elephant) raises the pitch somewhat. She's found spirituality, that's the underlying theme, although it's a tentative hook all told. Much of the hour and ten is spent insulting the audience, indeed some would say bullying, so sharp is the Dame's wicked tongue. Pay extra to sit at the front of the stalls and you risk total ridicule, if you're very unfortunate. A substantial portion of the show consists of Ms Everage marrying off two members of the audience, a pretence which very much stands and falls on the enthusiasm of the pair chosen. Total success last night, with Barry extemporising brilliantly as the ceremony ended up with a phone call to the groom's mother in Germany. There are songs, there are routines about the family, and there's rather a good joke about a coffee enema. It all ends with gladioli, of course, and a final appearance from the man beneath the make up, smiling and taking his leave of the UK audience.
Edna's eight week run at the Palladium continues until the first week of January, before heading on a two month national tour. I'm not convinced the London show's worth the face value of the ticket (ouch), nor even that this really is his farewell tour. But at 79-pushing-80, and still fresh as a koala, you can only applaud Barry's comic aplomb, possums.
