Vale BARRY HUMPHRIES

The death of Barry Humphries has left a giant void. At 89, on April 22, at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst, Barry farewelled us. Through the characters he created, from Dame Edna, Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, Barry entertained us in a way so unique, he has been called, “the greatest.” The comic, painter and writer possessed an iconic wit that allowed him to say things most of us felt too scared to utter. By remaining true to himself, he sometimes courted controversy. And he would have it no other way. In 1981, a workmate gifted me with a tape of Barry at the National Press Club. It remains a treasured possession. His ‘Farewell Possums’ may be heard no more but his reminder of us to be true to ourselves remains a valuable lesson.

Vale Barry Humphries. Author, actor, actress, librettist, poet, singer, commentator, interviewer, bibliophile, painter, dandy, iconoclast.The sharpest and quickest of wits, he made a career out of inventing characters, most notably Dane Edna, that lampooned the middle Australia of the 1950’s and forced us to laugh at our smaller minded selves. Unlike Gary McDonald, whose Norman Gunston character was a vulnerable, Chaplinesque, tramp like figure who was naive, pathetic and deeply empathetic, Humphries’ characters were often imperious and slightly cruel, turning their nose at their subjects. I always loved the visceral, lascivious, drooling diplomat Sir Les Patterson, with his food stains and the not too subtle outline of his huge penis. Famously anti-sport, at school, when forced to attend a football match, he turned his back to the game and knitted.

– Callum Morton

I am so deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Barry.

We were all hoping that with the return of our comedic genius, he may have been able to lift us, as he’d done in the past, out of this Politically correct society that seems to have taken over our lives.

I have been blessed to have shared your spotlight, the world has been robbed of your presence, VALE dear friend, the other, Baz.

– Barry Crocker

We’ve lost such a giant tonight. His characters like Dame Edna, Sir Les and Sandy Stone have made me laugh so much. He was the consummate performer, writer and artist. I’m watching a bit of Barry Mckenzie tonight. “I hope your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny down “. Vale Barry.

– Jules Schiller

Goodbye Possums... Vale one of Australia’s greatest performers loved both at home and over the world . Barry Humphries loved Adelaide and in particular his favourite Australian Theatre ‘ Her Majesty’s Theatre in Grote Street . Quick witted with an amazing ability to read the room and throw an interviewer off course , Barry was a powerhouse in both live theatre and TV and took his unique Australian characters around the world. RIP.

– Paul Sharman

Unfortunately no more. Such a huge figure in our lives. I remember as a small child playing an EP that my brothers had bought. Very early introduction to words like ‘chunder’, ‘point Percy at the porcelain’ and the ‘technicolour yawn’. Later in my early teens going to the Bonythan Gallery in Paddington see his surrealist work on exhibition. Like so many of us we saw him on stage, excruciatingly wonderful, as he exposed our raw truths. We will miss him. I may re-read the book. Vale Barry Humphries.

_ Christine Webb

Barry Humphries in 1972, around the one time I saw him in person. Word went out across the UQ campus at lunchtime that he was on stage in the Schonell Theatre. By the time I got there it was standing room only as he riffed, ranted and raconteured off the top of his head for an hour or more until some of the audience started to drift off to 2pm lectures, still laughing. A brush with genius.

– Chris Stafford

I’m completely gutted at the passing of Barry Humphries who was a god to me and my friend of nearly 40 years. I owe him everything. This is a moment of national grief as we’ve lost our greatest performing artist. He loved us and we loved him.

Let’s put flowers outside Her Majesty’s Theatre where Humphries almost always performed and he loved that theatre and was so crucial to its redevelopment even though he never saw it completed. Vale.

– Peter Busby Goers

The greatest improv comic Australia has ever produced has passed away tonight. A God of comedy. What a massive loss. Vale Barry Humphries.

– Marty Field

My Braidwood visual diary has paused for this VIP news break … darling Dame Edna has transitioned into that fabulously, politically-incorrect, celestial box office in the sky... she chose the master vibration no. 22 to add rocket fuel to her Ascension as she knew John Olsen had popped the kettle on & got her hot water bottle ready for her arrival .. God bless him.

– Alison Jane Rice

Neither my words, nor my picture, but both are as good as it gets to thank Mr Humphries, Dame Edna, Sir Les, Sandy and Bazza for decades of cutting wisdom wrapped in fun:”Barry Humphries has died. What a talent. What a life. A great thespian. A comedy pioneer. Treader of boards. Erudite on paper. Crusher of hypocrites. Hilarious. Biting. Witty. Bitchy. Sweet. Political. Inciteful. Game changingly funny. A legend. Thanks for so, so many laughs. Cracking jokes to the end. Bye bye Barry. Vale.”

–Valdis Dunis

Barry Humphries as one of his alter egos, Dame Edna or Les Patterson was ferocious and forensic giving us the huge gift of being able to laugh at ourselves, but the offstage Barry that Kristin and I knew was gracious, modest, kind and generous. When the QTC was raising funds for its new Bille Browne theatre he agreed to come and be interviewed by me in front of potential donors in the midst of an exhausting performance tour. I was terrified. This is the guy who demolished Parkinson one of the great interviewers - what would he do to me? He was surprisingly nervous. He told me he’d usually been interviewed as one of his alter egos but seldom as himself. Needless to say he was brilliant and had the audience spellbound and they donated very generously after, so next time you go to the splendid Bille Browne theatre give a thought to Barry who helped make it possible.

– David Williamson

The final curtain has come down on Barry Humphries and the world is poorer for it. Over a seven-decade career, Barry was a performer, a writer, a painter, a raconteur and an intellect with a unique wit. Genuine talent, sophistication and a mischievous twinkle in his eye were characteristics that seem rare on today’s comedy scene. Barry engendered recognisably Australian caricatures: the wistfully nostalgic pensioner Sandy Stone, the uncouth foreign diplomat Sir Les Patterson and of course the outrageous socialite Dame Edna Everage to name just a few. Barry was also a passionate crusader against destruction and over-development of his beloved Melbourne, especially Camberwell where he grew up. My only face-to-face encounter with Barry was at a protest rally. His trademark charm and dry wit was evident. I personally thanked him for his involvement. He looked directly at me and smiled warmly. That was enough for me. Seeing him onstage was an equal treat for me. Barry laughed both at us and with us. No-one has surpassed him and I doubt that anyone ever will.

– Matt Caterson