When Barry Humphries pranked train commuters
During his University days a young Barry Humphries put on a unique show for train passengers.
- Published by David Knox
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Many of the Barry Humphries tributes are rightly focussed on his genius creations as Dame Edna, Les Patterson and Sandy Stone.
But there are also more obscure memories and Dadaist pranks he staged.
During his university days, a young Humphries had Melbourne train commuters entertained with a unique travelling sideshow.
Humphries, engaging in a spot of suburban theatre, instructed friends to stand at specific points on various train platforms.
As The Age reported, “..as the doors opened, each one would then pass to him a certain aspect of his breakfast. At stop one he would be passed a teacup.
“Stop two, he would be poured the cup of tea. Stop three, he would be passed a plate; at four a piece of toast; five, butter; six, jam etc.
“So when he arrived at the final stop, he had consumed a complete breakfast.”
A mind like no other…
Photo: Bill McAuley, National Portrait Gallery
One Response
There was one of those documentaries from the UK like Disruptive Passengers: Caught on Camera. It was a real downer so they ended the show with a light-hearted piece about a group of commuters that gets pizza delivered mid-journey to a train platform at the same time the train arrived at the station, greatly impressing the other passengers.