Barry Humphries Will Return to the West End in THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK

Celebrated Australian performer Barry Humphries AO, CBE will take British audiences on a revelatory trip through his colourful life and theatrical career when he tours the UK in April & May 2022 with Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask.

He will also play the West End at the Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6AR, on Sunday 29 May and Sunday 5 June.

In an intimate, confessional evening - seasoned with highly personal, sometimes startling, and
occasionally outrageous stories - Australia's best loved entertainer will be peeling off his mask to introduce the man behind the clown.

For more than 60 years, Humphries has held a mirror to Australia and Australians, revealing their virtues, their foibles, their triumphs and their failings through a gallery of adored characters, including Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Paterson and Sandy Stone.

Now he will spin the mirror around, exposing his own highs and lows, the good times and the not so good. Themes include Humphries' Australian 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."

Audiences can expect a virtuoso, comic, solo performance filled with laughter, drama and surprise.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions and the magic of technology may even allow appearances - or interruptions - by unexpected guests.

"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!"

Humphries can't wait to introduce the British to this new phase in his creative life, "I'm rather proud of what I've done in my career. It's constantly surprising, it's very stimulating and it's wonderful to look back on, and to look forward to. It's still going strong, and with a vengeance."

Performances run in London on Sunday 29 May & Sunday 5 June.

2022 Tour Dates:

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 - Satrday 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

Ticket Pre-Sale: Wednesday 24th November 2021
General on sale: Friday 26th November 2021

Prices: from £25.00
Book tickets at ticketek.co.uk
www.manbehindthemask.co.uk