'Wave That Glad Four Eyes'

Those were the words that were lovingly yelled at me while sitting in my third row seat Tuesday night at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago.  You see Dame Edna had just finished a rousing and side-splitting two hour show and was closing with her lively number "Wave that Glad" and apparently she spied me not waving my gladiola to the best of ability.  I was happy to oblige her however and began to wield my lovely white flower in a more pronounced manner.  It was really the least I could do after one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.

"Dame Edna: Back With A Vengeance!" is playing an all too short run here in the Windy City from March 14 – 19 but if you can get there in the window of time you simply must go.  "Back With a Vengeance!" includes Edna's version of a "reality show," loads of audience interaction and improvisation.  She is also joined on stage by the lovely "the Gorgeous Ednaettes," delightful girl dancers in eye-catching attire.  Master of the Dame's music and a pleasure himself is Wayne Barker.

The true and undoubted star of the night is Dame Edna herself portrayed by Australia's legendary Barry Humphries.  Self described as actor, painter, composer and race car driver Barry Humphries' Dame Edna has a long and luxurious history from her first appearance on stage in early 1970's.  Her shows, stage and television, are legendary and include "Edna, The Spectacle," "The Dame Edna Experience," and her most sensational vehicle "Dame Edna: The Royal Tour" – which received a Special Tony Award for Live Theatrical Event.  Dame considers herself a housewife, investigative journalist, social anthropologist, talk show host, swami, children's book illustrator, spin doctor, megastar and icon – the last two this reviewer can whole heartedly agree with.

"Back With a Vengeance!" is two acts – please note the intermission is dubbed a fifteen minute pause for reflection – of Humphries' quick wit, fantastic stand up and inventiveness and the crowd loves every moment.  In fact it is the crowd that gives Edna her best material.  This night, in fact, the material was so good that Humphries' himself could be seen fighting off the tears of laughter.  From the conversations with three different women about where they live, their daily lives and their shoes in first act to her marriage counseling of a couple plucked from seats near the stage – including a call to the young wife's mother in law – in act two is truly priceless.

 Humphries' has been bestowed with awards and honors of the course of his almost fifty year career and witnessing his brilliant performance this reviewer can see why – he is truly a treasure.

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