Thatcherism
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| - | + | '''Thatcherism''' describes the [[conviction politics]], economic and social policy, and political style of the British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician [[Margaret Thatcher]], who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990. It has also been used by some to describe the ideology and wider political culture of the British government while Thatcher was [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] between [[United Kingdom general election, 1979|May 1979]] and [[Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1990|November 1990]], and beyond into the governments of [[John Major]], [[Tony Blair]], [[Gordon Brown]] and [[David Cameron]]. | |
| - | '''Dame Edna Everage''' is a character created and played by Australian [[dadaist]] performer and comedian, [[Barry Humphries]]. Famous for her [[lilac (color)|lilac-coloured]] hair or "wisteria hue" and [[cat eye glasses]] or "face furniture," her favorite flower, the [[Gladiolus|gladiola]] (or "gladies") and her boisterous greeting: "Hello Possums!" As Dame Edna, Humphries has written several books including an autobiography, ''My Gorgeous Life'', appeared in several films and hosted several television shows (on which Humphries has also appeared as himself and other alter-egos). | + | |
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| - | Humphries has regularly updated Edna, originally a drab [[Melbourne, Australia]] housewife satirising the conservatism of Australian suburbia, the character adopted an increasingly outlandish wardrobe after being performed in London in the 1960s, and grew in stature and popularity. Following film appearances and an elevation to [[Dame (title)|damehood]] in the 1970s, the character evolved to "Housewife and Superstar", then "Megastar" and finally "Gigastar". She came into her own during the 1980s when the often brutal policies of [[Thatcherism]]--the "vindictive style of the times"--allowed Dame Edna to sharpen her observations accordingly. Taking Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s seemingly hypocritical motto of "caring and compassion" for others and turning it on its head, Edna became the voice of Humphries' outrage. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Dame Edna became increasingly known and popular in the U.S. after multiple stage and television appearances. | + | |
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| - | Edna describes her chat-shows as "an intimate conversation between two friends, one of whom is a lot more interesting than the other" (by which she means herself). The character has been used to satirise the [[cult of celebrity]], class [[snob]]bery, and [[prudishness]]. Her larger-than-life persona and scathing but dead-on commentary on society and celebrity-hood, as well as her habit of treating celebrities like ordinary people (on her TV shows) and ordinary people like celebrities (in her stage shows) have become signatures. | + | |
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| - | Although Humphries freely states that Edna is a character he plays, Edna herself consistently denies being a fictional character, and refers to Humphries as her "entrepreneur" or manager. Humphries and his staff of assistants and writers only refer to Edna as "she," and "her," never mixing the character with Humphries himself. It is this precision and richness of identity which gives Dame Edna her unique force as a character. | + | |
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| - | == TV credits == | + | |
| - | * [[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]] Various | + | |
| - | * [[The Dame Edna Experience]] (1987–1989) | + | |
| - | * [[Dame Edna's Hollywood]] (1991–1993) | + | |
| - | * [[Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch]] (1992) | + | |
| - | * Dr Dame Edna Kisses It Better (1997) | + | |
| - | * [[Ally McBeal]] (2001–2002) | + | |
| - | * [[Nicholas Nickleby (2002 film)|Nicholas Nickleby]] (2002) | + | |
| - | * Dame Edna Live at the Palace (2003) | + | |
| - | * [[The Dame Edna Treatment]] (2007) | + | |
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | + | *[[Neoliberalism]] | |
| - | *[[Theatre of Australia]] | + | *[[Blairism]] |
| + | *[[Powellism]] | ||
| + | *[[Premiership of David Cameron]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
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Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, economic and social policy, and political style of the British Conservative politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990. It has also been used by some to describe the ideology and wider political culture of the British government while Thatcher was Prime Minister between May 1979 and November 1990, and beyond into the governments of John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
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