What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Event with Ab-Fab’s Joanna Lumley entertains with laughs and nostalgia

In the 1980s and 90s, television was king. Everyone had their favourite TV shows, and what was on the box each night, often provided the topic for casual conversation the following day. At either school or in the workplace, the television menu created plenty of chatter in the lunch room or out in the playground. Here, in Geraldton, like other places in regional Australia, we were limited to a couple of commercial options and the “good ole” ABC. Today, due to myriad streaming services, everyone has a much wider selection. And with the advances and trends in technology, it is not out of the ordinary for everyone in the household to be watching something different at the same time. Back before the turn of the century, if there was a popular program on television, we all knew about it — especially if it was British comedy. One that quickly comes to mind is Absolutely Fabulous (Ab Fab). You remember that outrageous 90s satire that involved two magazine executives Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone. Well, you could say, today the series is regarded as iconic due to its excellent script and characterisation. Patsy Stone certainly sits up there with other famous characters like Dame Edna Everage, Lucy Ricardo from I Love Lucy and Phoebe Buffay from the American sitcom Friends. Recently, I took the opportunity in Perth to join others for an evening with Joanna Lumley, who played the role of Patsy Stone for more than 10 years. Joanna Lumley: Me & My Travels was billed as a hilarious and interesting evening spent with the veteran actress and presenter who has a career spanning more than four decades. Can you believe Lumley commanded an audience of close to 2500 that night? I reckon it must have been a great feeling for her to realise these people had locked away their Saturday evening to come and be with and listen to her. And, there is no doubt, Lumley has the disposition that attracts a huge cross-section. In the crowd were people of all walks of life, from teenager to adult, which clearly shows, this 78-year-old has won a variety of hearts across generations. From the moment she stepped on stage to thunderous applause, Lumley had us all in the palm of her hand. She kept us continually entertained, starting off talking about her family history in India during the time of the British Raj. This rolled into her career as a model, her role as Purdey in The New Avengers and, of course, Patsy. But it was also the delightful tales behind the scenes of her popular travel documentaries shared with director-friend Clive Tulloh that brought plenty of laughs too. I’ll say it again. The world without people would be pretty boring. And the incredible Dame Joanna Lumley is testament to that. Peter Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA