Barry Humphries is to return to the UK stage with a new show, Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask.
Dates include The Gielgud Theatre on Sunday 29 May and Sunday 5 June.
The Australian icon will be exposing his own highs and lows. Themes include his 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.”
Some of his famous characters will also make cameo appearances, says Humphries: “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.”
LISTINGS
Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 April
NOTTINGHAM
Nottingham Playhouse
Wednesday 13 April
YORK
Grand Opera House
Sunday 17 & Monday 18 April
BATH
Theatre Royal
Thursday 21 – Saturday 23 April
GUILDFORD
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Monday 25 April
RICHMOND
Richmond Theatre
Thursday 28 & Friday 29 April
EASTBOURNE
Devonshire Park Theatre
Sunday 1 May
BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham Rep
Monday 2 & Tuesday 3 May
SHREWSBURY
Theatre Severn
Thursday 5 & Friday 6 May
MALVERN
Malvern Theatre
Sunday 8 May
BROMLEY
Churchill Theatre
Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 May
CHELTENHAM
Everyman Theatre
Friday 13 May
CANTERBURY
Marlowe Theatre
Sunday 15 May
NORWICH
Theatre Royal
Tuesday 17 May
BUXTON
Buxton Opera House
Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 May
NORTHAMPTON
Royal and Derngate
Wednesday 25 May
BOURNEMOUTH
Pavilions Theatre
Friday 27 May
YEOVIL
Octagon
Sunday 29 May & Sunday 5 June
LONDON
Gielgud Theatre
W1D 6AR
Pre-Sale: Wednesday 24th November 2021
General on sale: Friday 26th November 2021
www.manbehindthemask.co.uk
