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Description

Madge Allsop - the fictional character created as the 'straight-woman' to Barry Humphries' outrageous female impersonation act Dame Edna Everage - was embodied by English Actress Patricia 'Emily' Perry.

In 1994 while on tour with Humphries, Perry accepted an offer to return to her fictional hometown. A staple of the television celebrity talk show in the 1980s and 1990s, Viewers of the Dame Edna Everage show (and its variants) all knew about her 'sad, po-faced bridesmaid, Madge from Palmerston North'.

Emily remained in character for her seven-hour visit, where a 'Madge' company bus acted as her chauffer between the children’s ward at the hospital and a public reception outside Downtown in Broadway. The Rescue Helicopter then took her out to Linton Military Camp where she christened and Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) bound for Bosnia with the name ‘Madge’. Finally, a visit to the residence of Brightwater Home was capped off with Emily pressing her hands into a square of concrete which was to go on display in Broadway.

Emily Perry retired as 'Madge' in 2003 and died in England in 2008 aged 100.

The Television Production Centre (TVPC) produced content to support extramural teaching at Massey University. They also contracted out to Television stations nationally and produced work for local organisations like the Palmerston North City Council until it was closed by Massey in 1997.

Identification

Object type
Video
Date
June 20, 1994
Digitisation ID
2024V_PNCC30-B1-5_042395
Held In
Other

Related items

Madge Allsop Arrives in Palmerston North
Red Carpet for Madge Allsop
Madge Allsop greeted by Mayor Paul Rieger
Madge Allsop escorted by Mayor Rieger
Madge Allsop Visits Palmerston North - Part 2
Madge Allsop granted the (21st) key to Palmerston North
Madge Allsop granted the (21st) key to Palmerston North
Madge Allsop greeted by Mayor Paul Rieger
A 'Madge' bus for Madge Allsop
Madge Allsop 'dogged by Paparazzi'
Madge visits the children's ward
Madge Allsop unwraps her 'Cardy-ological' gift

Taxonomy

Tags
aeroplane,
ansett new zealand,
broadway,
city officials,
commercial travel,
emily perry,
fictional characters: promotional activities,
madge allsop,
mayor rieger,
mayoral garments,
milson airport,
peter hawes: massey university writer in residence,
red carpet,
Community Tags

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Related items

Madge Allsop Arrives in Palmerston North
Red Carpet for Madge Allsop
Madge Allsop greeted by Mayor Paul Rieger
Madge Allsop escorted by Mayor Rieger
Madge Allsop Visits Palmerston North - Part 2
Madge Allsop granted the (21st) key to Palmerston North
Madge Allsop granted the (21st) key to Palmerston North
Madge Allsop greeted by Mayor Paul Rieger
A 'Madge' bus for Madge Allsop
Madge Allsop 'dogged by Paparazzi'
Madge visits the children's ward
Madge Allsop unwraps her 'Cardy-ological' gift