Published by Radge Media C.I.C., M9 Codebase, Argyle House, 3 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 9DR. Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information in this magazine, but we cannot accept liability for information which is inaccurate. Showtimes and prices are subject to changes – always check with the venue. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher. Printed by Finsbury Green, Thebarton, SA 5031
7 Queer and Now
Seann Miley Moore takes on the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Comedy
41 The World in Her Hands
Anisa Nandaula on performing for online and live audiences
12 One Vision Electric Fields power into the Fringe
Theatre and Physical Theatre
57 Pecking Order
Eva O’Connor discusses her bird-brained, award-winning play Chicken
Cabaret
71 Body and Soul
Adelaide’s singing chef
Michelle Pearson on her new show Skinny
Music
82 In Harmony
Matthew Benjamin’s music is a tool for discovery
Dance
80 Care to Dance?
Australian Calisthenics Theatre Company champion their extraordinary sport
90 Map & City Guide
Festival venue locations, plus bar tips
Image credits (top to bottom, left to right): Ryan Cara; Morgan Sette; courtesy of Live Nation; Paul Baker; courtesy of Adelaide Fringe; courtesy of the artist; courtesy of the artist; courtesy of Yalumba winery
Festival Follows
Events in Fest Magazine are listed: Show title, venue, final performance date.
To book tickets see:
Adelaide Fringe
adelaidefringe.com.au 1300 621 255 @adlfringe
Adelaide Festival adelaidefestival.com.au 1300 393 404 @adelaidefestival
WOMADelaide womadelaide.com.au
1300 496 623 @womadelaide
Follow the main festival hubs on Instagram:
Adelaide Festival Centre @adelaidefescent
The Courtyard of Curiosities at The Migration Museum @migration_museum
Fool’s Paradise @foolsparadise_au
Holden Street Theatres @holdenstreettheatres
The Garden of Unearthly Delights @thegardenofUD
Gluttony @gluttony_fringe
Acknowledgement of Country 2025
Fest Magazine acknowledges that we are working on the traditional Country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders past, present and emerging. We also acknowledge that the traditional Kaurna cultural and heritage beliefs are still important to the living Kaurna people today. Fest Magazine is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation by respecting their unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and sky, and recognising their rich contribution to society.
Photo: Frankie The Creative
Queer and Now
Arusa Qureshi speaks to Filipino-Australian artist Seann Miley Moore as they prepare to take on the title role in a new iteration of cult rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Ryan
Photo:
Cara
When something becomes a cult classic, it’s inevitable that with such a designation also comes a loyal and dedicated fanbase. But when a piece of art is given this label because of how it speaks to a marginalised or othered community, it often holds an extra special place in the canon of pop culture.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which first hit cinema screens in 2001, is exactly this for many LGBTQ+ individuals. Adapted by John Cameron Mitchell, who originally created the off-Broadway musical in the late 90s alongside musician and composer Stephen Trask, the film follows genderqueer rock star Hedwig Robinson and her journey from East Germany to America, via a botched sex reassignment surgery, disastrous ex-lovers and Plato’s Symposium. With its challenging of heteronormative ideals and punk and glam rock-inspired soundtrack, it offers a poignant meditation on gender and sexuality.
“I’m sure everyone knows this show is a trailblazer in queer cinema and queer theatre,” says Seann Miley Moore, who is about to take on the title role in a new Australian production that will premiere at the Adelaide Festival. Like many others introduced to Hedwig and the Angry Inch for the first time, Moore’s initial encounter was revelatory, as they found themselves resonating deeply with the film’s rebellious spirit and emphasis on queer self-love.
“I feel like I’m being held hostage by Hedwig”
“One of my beautiful drag queen diva friends Gingzilla said ‘Honey, you need to watch this film,’” Moore explains about their introduction to Hedwig. “And when I watched it, I was absolutely blown away. This show is just a full
expression of music and queer culture and art and performance art and it’s such a beacon of queer liberation.”
Having gone on to win numerous Tony Awards when the production hit Broadway in 2014, Hedwig and the Angry Inch has had many iterations in the years since it first premiered, with the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Darren Criss, Michael C. Hall and Taye Diggs known for donning Hedwig’s iconic blonde Farrah Fawcett wig. For Moore, playing Hedwig is more than just a role – it’s an honour, one that they do not take lightly, especially when following in the footsteps of heroes like John
Cameron Mitchell and queer legend iOTA, who originated the role in Australia. Moore sees this performance as both a personal challenge and a celebration of community.
“As an actor, this is something I’ve never done before,” Moore says, “but I’m rising to the challenge. I feel like I’m being held hostage by Hedwig – she’s just pulling me in the back of her car and going full throttle. But I’m sure by the end of the tour I’ll be able to get into the passenger seat.”
Directed by Dino Dimitriadis and Shane Anthony, this new production aims to highlight
the raw, underground roots of Hedwig. Unlike the glitzy Broadway production starring Neil Patrick Harris, this adaptation embraces its punk origins, capturing the gritty, riotous energy that first propelled Hedwig into cult status. Audiences can expect a grunge-infused spectacle, one that is as unpredictable as it is electrifying.
“We’re really taking it back to the roots of where Hedwig began,” Moore explains. “It was birthed in Squeezebox, which is a New York underground club, where there was an explosion of drag culture, music and political punk. This
Photo: Ryan Cara
was post-AIDS, where the government abandoned our community, but in this space, we were able to reclaim our power through music and punk rock and performance art. So we’re really bringing you back to the roots, which was a wild but revolutionary time for our community.”
No stranger to the stage, Moore’s own career has spanned global platforms such as X Factor and Eurovision. Most recently, they took on the groundbreaking role of The Engineer (or “EnginQueer” as they call it) in Miss Saigon, for which they won a Green Room Award for Best Actor.
But Moore admits that playing Hedwig has offered something different. With a career built on their own larger-than-life personality, embodying the cultural behemoth that is Hedwig has required a different approach.
“For the past ten years, I’ve been showcasing everything that is Seann Miley Moore. But this time, I’ve had to focus solely on the text. I still bring elements of myself, but it’s really about focusing on the character and the journey she has trying to find love and her missing half. I’m slowly but surely championing that and understanding the craziness that is Hedwig.”
Moore’s journey to this moment has been fuelled by an unwavering commitment to authenticity. Inspired by divas like Mariah Carey and Liza Minnelli, as well as their fierce Filipino titas, Moore has always embraced self-expression as an act of defiance, and it’s clear they connect with the show’s story of resilience.
“Throughout this whole process,” Moore notes, “what I’ve come to learn is the heart of Hedwig, through their trials and tribulations, and rock and roll escapades. What a journey she’s gone through, but the resilience and strength and fight – it’s all in her heart. When she sees that she doesn’t need validation and love from everyone else, that’s what shines through.
“And as they say at the beginning of the film, ‘whether you like it or not, Hedwig!’ So all
“It’s going to be wild”
the good, all the bad – this is me. This is my story. That’s something that I relate to. I always give my full heart on that stage. And that’s the thing, you know, all wigs fit all heads honey.”
Moore’s full-hearted approach to performance is exactly what makes this production so compelling. Whether audiences are longtime fans of Hedwig or new to the show, Moore’s raw energy, undeniable talent, and deep connection to the role is bound to leave Adelaide audiences with something to remember – both unconventional and unashamedly queer.
“Adelaide is the perfect place for this show,” Moore reflects, when asked about the upcoming premiere. “During festival season, it’s all misfits and losers and rock and rollers – the exact people Hedwig sings about. It’s going to be wild, rock and roll mayhem.”
SHOW Hedwig and the Angry Inch
VENUE: The Queens Theatre
TIME: until 15 March
Photo: Ryan Cara
One Vision
If you’ve ever had the joy of seeing Electric Fields perform, having them kick off this year’s festivities is a no-brainer
Words: Talara McHugh
Photo: Morgan Sette
From humble beginnings in Adelaide to making history at Eurovision, the ARIA-award winning duo Electric Fields, consisting of vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding and music producer and composer Michael Ross, are ready to return to their hometown for an unforgettable sold-out show on opening night.
“Fringe is the best! It’s like a creative fireworks that the whole community is a part of and that is right up our alley,” says Ross. “Adelaide and South Australia mean a lot to us. It’s where Electric Fields was born and performing on Kaurna country is always special for us.”
Known for their soulful pop and upbeat electronica sound, the pair are more than musicians but also master storytellers, weaving Fielding’s traditional languages of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara people into their works.
Last May, they made history as the first Australian Eurovision contestants to incorporate First Nations language into their entry, ‘One Milkali (One Blood)’.
They were also joined on stage by Garrwa and Butchulla man Fred Leone, who became the first yidaki (didgeridoo) player to perform at Eurovision, in an unforgettable performance of First Nations culture to hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
“Australia has hundreds of traditional languages and it means a lot to us to share Anangu languages with people,” says Fielding. “It brings a lot of pride to Aboriginal people to hear this living language loud and proud. It also gives non-Indigenous Australians another way to participate in the deep culture of our continent. And it’s exciting to hear international audiences being so curious about Aboriginal culture.”
While they’ve performed on stages across the world, nothing quite compares to the magic of the Fringe with their 2021 show, INMA, holding a special place in their hearts as “one of our best ever.”
“You could feel the ripples of euphoria pass through the entire venue. Also, there’s nothing quite like walking through The Garden of Unearthly Delights or Gluttony in the evening
with the glow of the lights and the menagerie of venues. It feels like walking inside some kind of magic,” says Ross. “The audiences are made up of every kind of person you could imagine. So it feels like performing to the whole world with intimacy. Plus the venues have a brilliant vibe, like the ghosts of circus performers and performance artists are onstage with you.”
Reflecting on their own beginnings, they say the opportunity to perform at Fringe is “priceless” for emerging artists.
“There are very few cities in the world where an emerging creative can literally materialise any idea into a real life experience, and people will come,” says Fielding. “The audiences will take a chance on the art even if they’ve never heard of you. There’s no gatekeeper saying maybe you can possibly have a show after you develop your fanbase. Na. It’s a tsunami of art accessible to everyone.”
“It means a lot to us to share Anangu languages with people”
They finished 2024 with the release of their first live album in a mesmering collaboration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, combining their dance tracks with organic timbres of wood and metal.
“It’s been beautiful to hear the emotional content of the harmonisation in our music to be expanded and reimagined by a symphony orchestra,” says Ross. “There were some unexpected things too. Seeing the up and down motion of the bows in the string section, it felt like the instruments were literally dancing to the beats.”
SHOW Electric Fields
VENUE: Lion Arts Factory TIME: 21 February
That’s A Rap
Hip-hop comes to the Adelaide Fringe
Words: Alexis Buxton-Collins
From Weimar cabaret and whimsical comedic duos to tribute acts from every era, musical acts have long been a mainstay of the Adelaide Fringe. But one genre has been noticeably absent. Despite its ubiquity in popular culture, hip-hop has rarely been sighted at the festival with the exception of a few freestyle rappers.
It’s a puzzling omission, but one that is at least partially rectified by two shows appearing at Gluttony this year. Hey DJ – A History of Hip-hop is an audiovisual extravaganza that whizzes through the genre’s diverse history in an hour-and-a-half, while The Brothers Rapture – A Holy Hip-Hop Cabaret takes a slightly less straightforward approach, using hip-hop as the background for a story about two Irish priests who achieve viral fame by rapping.
“A great lyricist and storyteller can really strike people in their soul”
Yo! Mafia
While many rappers have attracted criticism for the apparent vacuousness of their lyrics, the genre has a long history of storytelling and that’s exactly what The Brothers Rapture creator Corey M. Glamuzina was looking to channel. “When people think of musical theatre, apart from Hamilton, it’s often about having a catchy melody or the spectacle of holding a note,” says the Kiwi comic. “But I wanted to cre-
Image: courtesy of the artist
Yo! Mafia
ate something that was more about the beat and the rhythm than holding a tune.”
Though he considered the more familiar format of a musical comedy show “where each song was a standalone piece with its own theme or genre, it would have been an entirely different show. We wanted to put that theatre aspect in there, so there is a proper story arc and the characters go through real personal growth.”
It means that the songs are not merely showcases of virtuosity, but act in service of the story. Hip-hop’s heavy focus on lyricism also allows Glamuzina to include plenty of exposition between the punchlines. “We want to take people on a rise and fall journey, and along the way we examine themes like fame, ego and polarity. We look at what happens when they collide with the best intentions, and I thought using rap was the best way to do that while still giving it an upbeat feel. ”
While Glamuzina’s introduction to the genre came from hearing 90s pop acts like Kris Kross and The Fresh Prince on the radio, Adelaide native Yo! Mafia has been “obsessed with the genre since the beginning of time.” Born in the
“We want to take people on a rise and fall journey”
Corey M. Glamuzina
same year as the genre, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, she has been a DJ for more than half of her life.
The idea for The History Of Hip-Hop came from Groove Terminator, who helms the hugely successful History of House show with the Soweto Gospel Choir. “There are plenty of hip-hop DJs around, so when GT approached me he said he needed someone who was also going to be entertaining,” explains Mafia (who uses her stage name and birth name of Maria interchangeably).
With a background on the stage before she became a DJ, the lifelong hip-hop lover fit the bill perfectly and she promises “a visual and sonic extravaganza that amalgamates my loves of acting, storytelling and music. We’ll have a little bit of history, we’ll have some education, but the show is mostly entertain-
ment... I’ve promoted it as the after after party – you’ve gone to the party, you’ve gone to the after party and now you’ve come to the after after party.”
Joined onstage by breakdancers, hype men and vocalist Eliza Wolfgramm, who has performed with the Avalanches at huge festivals like Coachella, Mafia will give attendees a breakneck history of hip-hop from its origins at block parties in the Bronx to global domination. “It’s a huge journey so we cover a lot of space in 85 minutes,” she laughs. “And it’s just a history,” she quickly adds. “It’s not the history; if we were going to do that, we’d need months! This is my version of a history that is palatable for the Fringe festival goer who wants to really enjoy the music.”
As someone who has DJed everything from hip-hop festivals to sporting events and corporate functions, Mafia is well-versed in appealing to a broad audience. So while there will be sections on gangsta rap and the fatal East Coast v West Coast rivalry, it will be mostly profanity-free. The “palatable” nature of the show ties into the genre’s current ubiquity, and the lifelong hip-hop fan admits that it’s odd seeing
artists she grew up with doing family movies (Ice Cube) and backing up late-night TV hosts (The Roots). “But I don’t call it selling out,” she says; “I call it widening your demographic.”
And while she hopes to attract plenty of dedicated hip-hop lovers, one of the joys of her regular DJing gigs is communicating her love of the genre to those who are less familiar with it. “Some people think there’s no musicality and it’s just a person talking, but if you understand things like pentameter and time signatures, you understand there is a lot of musicality and skill. A great lyricist and storyteller can really strike people in their soul, and if the Fringe allows more people to discover that, it’s a good thing.”
SHOW The Brothers Rapture – A Holy Hip-Hop Cabaret
VENUE: Gluttony
TIME: until 2 March
SHOW HEY DJ – A History of Hip Hop
VENUE: Gluttony
TIME: until 22 March
Photo: Kieran Bullock
The Brothers Rapture
SCAN FOR MORE INFO OR TO BOOK
sAT 22 FEB The Golden Years Legends Show
FRI 28 FEB YOUNG FRANCO ‘It’s Franky Baby!’ Tour
SAT 1 MAR ‘Old Town Road’ - DJ DUSTY TRAILS
FRI 7 MAR ANTHEMS: OLD SCHOOL EDITION
SAT 8 MAR Hot Dub Time Machine: Can’t Stop
SUN 9 MAR SOJU GANG DJ SET
FRI 14 MAR Late Nite Tuff Guy
SAT 15 MAR the presets DJ Set
SAT 22 MAR BAG RAIDERS DJ SET SUN 23 MAR GLUTTONY CLOSING PARTY 7 SHOWS 28 Feb - 22 MAR HEY DJ: A HISTORY OF HIP HOP
PERFORMING SONGS FROM THEIR ARIA-NOMINATED ALBUM
8:15PM
21-23, 27-28 FEB,1-2, 6-9 , 14 -15, 20-22 MAR + 4PM 16 & 23 MAR
Stage Fright
Ahead of its Adelaide Festival debut, we speak to Samuel Barnett, star of the latest solo play from the producers of Fleabag
Words: George Sully
Often, the most successful productions are born of collaboration. The right people, at the right time, working together to create magic – the kind of magic that transcends what any one individual might be able to conjure.
Francesca Moody might be a household name now for producing such runaway hits as Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, but that Midas touch really just reflects her ability to find those lightning-in-a-bottle collaborations and get them in front of audiences. One such recent blockbuster is Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen, studded with accolades from 2022’s Edinburgh Fringe and (at the time of writing) tearing down houses in Melbourne and Sydney before heading to SA for the Adelaide Festival.
Another direct-address monologue, like Fleabag before it, Feeling Afraid… puts an unnamed stand-up comedian (played by The History Boys’ Samuel Barnett) in front of a mic to tell us his story. Delivered mostly as a stand-up routine, the monologue is an electric journey through awkward dates, casual sex, comedy gigs, health panics and – eventually
– a burgeoning relationship with a kindly handsome American. It’s lightness and darkness and everything in between – a relatable study of love, self-doubt and truthfulness through the lens of comedy.
What becomes abundantly clear in our conversation with Barnett (he’s having a lovely time in Melbourne: “there’s a certain buoyancy here that we pretty much don’t have back home”) is how much he credits the show’s success to both the writing and direction.
“I feel so fortunate that every now and then, over the years, there’s been a job that I’ve had – and it is usually new writing – where suddenly there’s this extraordinary script that matches what I can do with it,” he says.
The writer, in this instance, is his friend Marcelo Dos Santos. “Marcelo said, ‘I’m writing you this monologue.’ And I was like, ‘Well, sure. I mean, what’s that going to be?’ And then he presented me with this first draft – which was not a first draft as far as I was concerned, because we haven’t really changed it. All we’ve done is cut it.”
“The script,” he expands, "is a lot of Marcelo’s
Photo: Mark Gambino
personal experience and experiences of friends of his, but the voice is mine. I don’t understand how he’s done it – that’s what’s so clever. He wrote it with my cadence in mind. So it’s weird getting a script where you go, ‘oh yeah, I know how to say that.’”
The third ingredient in this alchemy is Matthew Xia’s direction. “He’s done that thing where you wouldn’t necessarily know it was directed,” Barnett explains. “But it is directed within an inch of its life. Every head movement, every foot placement, whether my foot is up on the stool or down, all of that tiny stuff. It was him that came up with the idea of doing it with a stool and a microphone – that is all Matthew.”
So how much of him is in the character? “I think my stand-up comedian persona is probably just a much more exaggerated, energetic version of my inner core,” he says. “I basically get to amplify that and put that on stage in a very physical way. And it’s been joyous because I’m so often told how subtle you have to be, or how little you have to do. And actually, what I really enjoy in this show is being able to take all the brakes off and go for it. And then choose my moments where everything is subtler and everything comes down. I really enjoy playing the levels. It’s a real acting workout. And I love it.”
Barnett certainly deserves praise for his uncanny imitation of a comedian in the show –but he insists he couldn’t be one for real.
“I need something to hide behind,” he says. “I’m not interested in being a stand-up comic who uses his own life and can get up and ex-
“My favorite thing is finding the darkness in comedy”
pose in that way. I need a character. So for me, all of it was on the page, and as soon as I got the microphone in my hand, started trying to deal with the microphone lead, all of that just became like a natural language for me.
“I’ve always been drawn to comedy,” he continues. “My favorite thing is finding the darkness in it. I think I’ve always been able to make people laugh; I’ve always had an overly mobile face. I learned a lot about comic timing from Frances de la Tour, Richard Griffiths and Clive Merrison on The History Boys. I was like, ‘how are you working that line? How are you doing nothing with that and getting that laugh?’
“But in terms of crafting the stand-up comedian style, we didn’t want to copy anyone,” he adds. “There were certain comedians that we felt had the same sensibility, like Simon Amstell, Joe Lycett, Rhys Nicholson… but ultimately, you can only do your own. We’ve all got our own stand-up comedy version of ourselves in us, and so I had to find mine. But it came from the writing – and from Matthew.”
SHOW Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen
VENUE: Adelaide Festival Centre TIME: until 2 March
Photo: Mark Gambino
Top Picks: Comedy
From loveable hooligans to unhinged bouffon, these comedy shows will have you cackling out loud
Steve Porters – How To Flirt: The TED XXX Talk
Le Cascadeur at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 23 March
Self-taught feminist and wannabe iPod DJ Steve Porters thinks he’s the ultimate ladies’ man – but has he even made it past third base? Fresh from sold-out shows, he brings his humorous take on modern dating from Surrey to Australia.
Lil Wenker: BANGTAIL
The Gallery at The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, until 23 March
The ‘Baddest Cowboy in Texas’ has met his match – an even badder cowboy who’s stolen his title. BANGTAIL is a wild ride of cowboy clown chaos, manhood, and the ultimate showdown.
Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble
The Chapel at The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, until 23 March
Furiozo returns to Adelaide with his chaotic, punk rock, and disturbingly real comedy. A darkly funny portrait of toxic masculinity, this loveable hooligan will make you love, hate, and fear the beast within.
Daniel Muggleton: You May Be White, I May Be Crazy
The Piglet (open-air) at Gluttony, until 23 March
Australian comedian Daniel Muggleton, known for his tracksuit and sharp wit, brings a show all about fatherhood, grief, and life’s unpredictability – unless he decides on something else entirely.
Image: courtesy of Helene Sobolewski
Image: courtesy of A-List Entertainment
Steve Porters Furiozo
BANGTAIL
Daniel Muggleton
Photo: Roslyn Gaunt
Photo: Hudson Hughes
Photo: Alan Moyle
Josh Glanc: Family Man
Spiegel Zelt at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 23 March
Josh Glanc, nominated for the 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Award, returns to Adelaide for seven nights with a show that sees him turning stand-up into his own personal playground.
CVNT
The Box at ARTHUR ARTHOUSE / The Gallery at The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, until 23 March
Winner of Best Comedy at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe, Sophie Power presents a wild, immersive bouffon show exploring language, power, and self-discovery. Expect an unhinged and unapologetically bold ride along with the audience.
Raul Kohli: A British Hindu’s Guide To the Universe
Basement Bar at Therapy Cocktail Bar / HYMN BAR, until 23 March
Newcastle comic Raul Kohli, known for his BBC Sounds podcast Comic Sanskrit, debuts in Australia with a show that is all about using comedy to explore divinity, peace, and personal growth, while still embracing the chaos of life.
Jordan Barr – Dog Why
Hell’s Kitchen at Rhino Room, until 1 March
DOG WHY is Jordan Barr’s stand-up comedy show about self-improvement, inspired by a dog who presses buttons to communicate. From wellness retreats to plastic surgery, Jordan presents her relatable journey towards trying to calm down.
Photo: Marcelle Bradbeer
Photo: James Rush
Photo: Jiksaw
Josh Glanc
Raul Kohli
Jordan Barr
CVNT
Phtoo: Chris Hillary
Top Picks: Theatre and Physical Theatre
Don’t miss these gripping performances that delve into football, feminism and f**king
F@ckboi George’s Guide to Feminism
Studio Theatre at Goodwood Theatre and Studios / The Gallery at The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, until 8 March
Meet F@ckboi George: a sexually magnetic, syphilis-defying drag king who only exists when a sad woman draws on a mustache. He’s desperate to be the perfect feminist ally – but what is a woman? With research limited to ZOO Magazine and Girls Gone Wild, he needs you to set him straight.
Sauna Boy
The Warehouse Theatre, until 9 March
Dan works at the UK’s most infamous gay sauna, a place for men to relax, connect, and, most importantly… f**k. From writer/performer Dan Ireland-Reeves, this semi-autobiographical work dives into a secretive, seductive world.
Hemlines
The Green Room at Hotel Richmond, until 15 March
A bold, provocative theatre piece that balances silliness and depth. Fresh from sell-out Sydney shows, the Moon Bureau team weave a playful exploration of identity, one stitch at a time.
Oh My Heart, Oh My Home
Circulating Library at The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, until 16 March
A meteorite shakes the ground, voices linger, and a house holds its history like a melody. Award-winning storyteller Casey Jay Andrews crafts a delicate fable of memory, home, and the weight of feelings, set around a doll’s-house.
Hemlines
Sauna Boy
Ellen Graham as F@ckboi George
Oh My Heart, Oh My Home
Photo: Jamie Simmons
Image: courtesy of artist
Photo: Jamois
Photo: Paul Baker
Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Ar** For England
The Studio at Holden Street Theatres, until 23 March
It’s the EURO 2020 Final, and Billy’s gone viral for shoving a flare up his ar**. This hilarious, five-star play about football, flares, and friendship lands in Adelaide after a smash-hit Edinburgh run.
The Routine
Studio Theatre at Goodwood Theatre and Studios, until 23 March
A lonely office worker slips through their bathroom mirror into a surreal quest for life’s meaning. Blending physical comedy, illusion, and whimsy, The Routine is heartwarming and utterly magical.
Black Girl Rising
The Lab at ILA, until 23 March
A powerful one-woman show exposing the hidden health effects of racism through stand-up, storytelling, and spoken word, backed by animation. Awarded ‘Best New Work by an Emerging Artist’ at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Black Girl Rising is guaranteed to get people talking.
FLICK
Greenwood Theatre, until 23 February
When a nurse, Flick, meets a dangerously attractive man with terminal cancer, their lives entangle and lines blur. A darkly funny physical comedy and one-woman show from award-winning writer and performer Madelaine Nunn.
Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Ar** for England
Black Girl Rising
The Routine Flick
Photo: Rah Petherbridge
Photo: Darren Gill
Image: courtesy of the artist
Photo: Darren Gill Top Picks
Top Picks: Music
A range of musical treats feature as part of this year’s Fringe programme
Molly Nilsson
The Lab at ILA, 23 Feb
Sweden-born Berlin-based synth-pop artist Molly Nilsson presents tracks from her 11th studio album, 2024’s Un-American Activities, on her second full tour of Australia.
Hot Dub Time Machine: Can’t Stop
The Fantail (open-air) at Gluttony, 8 March
Hot Dub Time Machine returns to the Adelaide Fringe for one epic party. The world’s first time-traveling DJ takes you on a high-energy musical journey through the decades, mixing iconic hits live with visuals.
Soju Gang
The Fantail (open-air) at Gluttony, 9 March
Melbourne-based DJ and community-driven artist brings her electrifying energy to Gluttony. Known for her genre-blending sets and vibrant presence, Soju Gang creates an inclusive musical experience for all.
The Garden Sessions
The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 22 March
A free Saturday afternoon music series showcasing South Australia’s best emerging Indigenous artists. Featuring talents like Bec Gollan, Rob Edwards, and Katie Aspel, these all-ages outdoor concerts celebrate local voices in a relaxed, vibrant atmosphere.
Soweto Gospel Choir – Hope
The Flamingo at Gluttony / The Fantail (open-air) at Gluttony, until 23 March
The three-time GRAMMY-winning Soweto Gospel Choir presents a concert celebrating anthems from Nelson Mandela’s South Africa to Martin Luther King Jr.’s America. This inspiring performance blends African gospel, spirituals, and folk music in a soul-stirring tribute to resilience and freedom.
Molly Nilsson
Soweto Gospel Choir
Rob Edwards Hot Dub Time Machine
Soju-Gang
Photo: Graw Bockler
Photo: Andy Lund
Image: courtesy of The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Image: courtesy of Gluttony
Image: courtesy of Wat Artists
Top Picks: Cabaret
Discover the must-see cabaret shows, from Welsh drag queens to tributes to
musical legends
Adore Händel’s Little Black Book
Ayers House State Dining Room, until 1 March
Adore Händel, the time-traveling, pansexual songbird, invites you into a whimsical drag cabaret full of lust, drama, and scandalous tales. Enjoy opera, pop classics, and original songs in this magical, blush-worthy hour of stories.
Michelle Brasier: It’s A Shame
We Won’t Be Friends Next Year
The Kingfisher at Gluttony, until 9 March
A new hour of comedy and music from award-winning Michelle Brasier, with accompaniment from Tim Lancaster. Join Michelle as she ponders the nine words from a boy in Year 6 that shaped her destiny.
Skank Sinatra
The Bally at Gluttony, until 16 March
Winner of Best Cabaret at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe, this electrifying show reinvents Sinatra with powerhouse vocals, sharp wit, and outrageous humour. Expect live singing, fabulous costumes, and twists on some classics from Melbourne queen Skank Sinatra.
An Evening Without Kate Bush
Le Cascadeur at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 23 March
A joyous cabaret tribute to Kate Bush’s iconic music and devoted fans. From ‘Wuthering Heights’ to ‘Hounds of Love’, celebrate her unique legacy in this award-winning show by Sarah-Louise Young and Russell Lucas.
Polly & Esther
The Lark at Gluttony, until 23 March
Camp drag cabaret from the dynamic Welsh duo Polly Amorous & Esther Parade, who make their international debut at the Adelaide Fringe. Join them as they celebrate chosen family and queer joy in this chaotic show.
Polly & Esther
Sarah-Louise Young
Michelle Brasier
Skank Sinatra
Adore Händel Image: courtesy of Adelaide Fringe
courtesy of Storytelling PR
courtesy of Michelle Mangan PR
Photo: Paul Jeffers
Photo: Steve Ullathorne
Top Picks: Circus
From internationally renowned companies to jaw-dropping premieres, expect all kinds of circus at this year’s Fringe
Dreams of the Small Gods
The Vault at Fool’s Paradise, until 2 March
This captivating aerial circus and theatre performance explores the triple nature of woman – as animal, as human and as goddess or spirit being. With masked rituals and awe-inspiring visuals, Zinnia Oberski’s work questions holiness, profanity, and our relationship with animals and gods.
Ten Thousand Hours
The Peacock at Gluttony, until 23 March
Eight elite acrobats and a musician present a spectacle of physical skill, dedication, and transformation. This performance by Gravity & Other Myths is a tribute to the sacrifices made to achieve greatness, an ode to the devotion required to perfect our ambitions.
The Mirror
The Octagon at Gluttony, until 23 March
Gravity & Other Myths return with a jaw-dropping acrobatic show exploring self-image, illusion, and modern life. Alongside the GOM ensemble, duo Ekrem Pheonix and Darcy Grant invite audiences to engage via deep reflection, escapism and entertainment.
Joy
Ukiyo at Gluttony, until 23 March
The acclaimed company behind Oat Milk & Honey returns with a new world premiere, featuring eight of Australia’s finest acrobats and musicians. Expect live jazz, funk, and hip-hop beats in a thrilling celebration of human resilience.
#since1994
The Lab at Fool’s Paradise, until 10 March Taiwan’s Eye Catching Circus comes back to Adelaide with #since1994, a show that explores young Taiwanese women’s challenges in modern society. Following performances in Avignon, Paris, and Prague, the production sees acrobats suspended from a symbolic frame, as they embark on a journey of self-discovery, fortitude, and sisterhood.
Dreams of the Small Gods
Joy
The Mirror
Ten Thousand Hours
#since1994
Photo: Paul Maguire
Photo: Andy Phillipson
Photo: Jack Fenby
Photo: Daniel Boud
Photo: How Chen
Top Picks: Dance
This year’s dance offerings at the Fringe include stories of hope and survival, as well as immersive adventures
Lewis Major: Triptych
Main Theatre at Adelaide College of the Arts, until 22 Feb
After sold-out seasons worldwide, Triptych returns to Adelaide in a stunning collaboration between rising Australian choreographer Lewis Major and dance legends Russell Maliphant and Hofesh Shechter. This electrifying mixed bill explores rhythm, movement, and connection, performed in a spectacular fusion of sound, light, and motion.
The Rite of Spring
Main Theatre at Adelaide College of the Arts, until 15 March
Taiwan’s Tussock Dance Theater presents a powerful solo reimagining of Stravinsky’s masterpiece, exploring human fragility, survival, and the cycle of violence. This gripping performance unravels the complexities of human nature, culminating in an inevitable descent into chaos and destruction.
Labyrinth
Reading Room at Barr Smith Library, until 1 March
Two lonely booksellers race to preserve the last remnants of literature as the world fades away. Blending memory and reality, this intimate dance-theatre work by Chloe Keating explores loss, remembrance, and the beauty of storytelling in one of Australia’s most stunning libraries.
Overture
Main Theatre at The Queens Theatre, until 8 March
Overture offers a rare glimpse backstage, capturing the anticipation before a performance begins. This immersive dance work blurs the lines between art and life, revealing the dreams, struggles, and unseen moments of creation.
Cut ways
Studio Theatre at Goodwood Theatre and Studios, until 15 March
This powerful performance tells the story of a deaf migrant woman from the Middle East, navigating perilous journeys in search of a better life. Inspired by Iran’s high migration rates, it reflects on hope, survival, and the sacrifices made to escape hardship.
Overture Labyrinth
The Rite of Spring
Lewis Major
Image: courtesy of Adelaide Fringe
Photo: ZHANG Xiao Xiong Image: courtesy of Martha Oakes PR
Photo: Gregory Kung
Top Picks: Kids and Family
There’s plenty of fun to be had at the Fringe, with shows that promise parties, daring feats and interactive stories
What’s In The Woods?
Domain Theatre at Marion Cultural Centre / Parks Library / The Attic at Murray Bridge Performing Arts & Function Centre, until 7 March
Step into a cozy, picture-book woodland where little explorers uncover natural wonders. What’s In The Woods? blends storytelling, puppetry, and gentle play in a magical theatre experience designed for babies, infants, and toddlers.
Jon & Jero: The Forgotten Tales
The Lark at Gluttony, until 23 March
Join Jon & Jero in a hilarious, interactive family show for ages 5+ where anything can happen. With improv, big characters, physical comedy, and live music, these bumbling brothers need your help to rediscover their stories.
Level Up
The Vault at Fool’s Paradise, until 23 March
Gravity Dolls presents a thrilling, hilarious circus show featuring four acrobats and a giant claw machine. Expect daring feats, near misses, and ridiculous 90s-inspired dancing in this fast-paced, 55-minute performance.
The Messy Magic Adventure
The Factory at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 23 March
Spray and Wipe are on a magical cleaning mission, but when they accidentally unleash chaos the audience are asked to help. This fun-filled kids’ show combines circus, slapstick, and magic for children aged three to eight.
Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall
The Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, until 23 March
Join DJ Monski Mouse and her dancers for a high-energy dance party featuring retro beats, nursery rhymes, and plenty of fun. A session for dancing and smiling for little ones and their grown-ups alike.
Photo: Morgan Roberts
Photo: Steve Ullathorne
Photo: Aaron Walker
Photo: Alexander Hallag
Photo: Nicholas Robertson
What’s In The Woods?
Jon and Jero
Level Up
The Messy Magic Adventure
Monski Mouse
Top Picks: Adelaide Festival
Australia’s
international festival features everything from icons of the dance world to globally renowned singer-songwriters
Hania Rani
Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, 1 March
Experience the mesmerising sounds of one of the world’s most transcendent modern pianists. Blending ambient, minimalist, and electronic influences, Rani performs music from her wide catalogue, including the highly praised 2023 album Ghosts.
MASS MOVEMENT
Elder Park, 1 March
Adelaide Festival’s opening weekend features MASS MOVEMENT, a large-scale dance event by renowned choreographer Stephanie Lake. With 1000 dancers of all ages and styles converging in Elder Park, this one-time-only spectacle celebrates unity and movement. Set to an original score by Robin Fox, it’s a powerful tribute to collective joy and energy.
Innocence
Festival Theatre, until 5 March
Following performances worldwide, Innocence makes its highly anticipated Australian premiere at the Adelaide Festival. Set in modern Finland, a joyous wedding turns dark as buried secrets emerge, forcing a young bride into an impossible choice. Kaija Saariaho’s final opera, praised as a “masterpiece,” features Simon Stone’s cinematic direction and a stellar cast.
A Quiet Language
Odeon Theatre, until 7 March
Celebrating 60 years, Australian Dance Theatre presents a reflection on its legacy and future. Artistic Director Daniel Riley weaves past and present, honouring the company’s rebellious origins while embracing cultural evolution. This dynamic work reimagines movement as a living archive, shaping the future of Australian dance.
Hania Rani
MASS MOVEMENT
A Quiet Language, Zoe Wozniak Innocence
Photo: Martyna Galla
Photo: Mark Gambino
Photo: Emmaline Zanelli
Photo: Tristram Kenton
Krapp’s Last Tape
Dunstan Playhouse, until 8 March
Stephen Rea stars in Samuel Beckett’s masterful meditation on memory, time, and regret. On his 69th birthday, Krapp listens to a tape he recorded 30 years earlier, confronting the gap between past and present. This acclaimed oneman performance is not to be missed.
Cat Power Sings Dylan
Her Majesty’s Theatre, 10 March
Cat Power brings Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 concert to life in a stunning docu-concert experience. Recreating the night he went electric, she delivers songs like ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ with haunting beauty and raw emotion.
Club Amour
Festival Theatre, until 16 March
Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal returns to Adelaide with a stunning tribute to love and desire. This triple bill unites Bausch’s iconic Café Müller with two bold works by Boris Charmatz. Audiences are invited to sit or stand on stage to experience the choreography up close in an unforgettable performance featuring world-class dancers from Tanztheater Wuppertal and Terrain.
Shared Skin
ACE Gallery, until 12 April
An exhibition of new commissions and existing works by contemporary artists from First Nations and culturally diverse backgrounds, exploring the evolving definition of family through gender, class, sexuality, and cultural identity. Curated by Rayleen Forester (Associate Curator, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental).
Image: courtesy of the artist and James Cohan, New York
WOMADelaide Highlights
Unmissable acts at this year’s edition of the iconic open-air
festival
47Soul
Formed in Jordan in 2013, 47SOUL are a Palestinian-Jordanian electronic music collective, blending hip-hop, electronica, and R&B with traditional Levantine Dabke, resulting in the unique “Shamstep” genre, named after their first EP. Touring globally, they captivate audiences with powerful songs written in both Arabic and English, with lyrics that explore politics, philosophy, and shared humanity.
Talisk
Scottish trio Talisk have been redefining folk music with their explosive energy and innovative sound since they first rose to prominence in 2015 after winning the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award. Since then, they’ve played sold-out shows across five continents, released three studio albums and headlined Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom in 2024 as part of Celtic Connections.
DJ Paulette
Dance music icon DJ Paulette has a career that spans over 30 years, having become known for spinning disco, house, and techno at legendary venues like the Hacienda, Heaven, and Ministry of Sound. Her debut book Welcome To The Club: The life and lessons of
Elsy Wameyo
Kenya-born and Adelaide-raised Elsy Wameyo blends gospel-infused R&B, Afrobeat, and contemporary rap with traditional African influences. Her 2024 debut album Saint Sinner, which was created in Kenya, reflects her journey of cultural displacement and artistic discovery. As well as touring internationally with the likes of Duckwrth, Sampa the Great and Aminé, Wameyo was announced as 2022’s Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year.
Miss Kaninna
Rapper-singer-songwriter Miss Kaninna has been one-to-watch on the Australian circuit since her 2023 breakout single ‘Blak Britney’. A Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon, and Yirendali woman based in Naarm, her music merges genres like hip-hop, neo-soul, and R&B with the stories of her ancestors, placing resistance at its core.
VENUE: Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla
TIME: 7-10 March
a black woman DJ was published in January 2024 by Manchester University Press.
SHOW WOMADelaide
Miss Kaninna
47Soul Talisk
DJ Paulette
Elsy Wameyo
Photo: Michelle Grace Hunder
Photo: Eric Oliveira
Photo: Lee Baxter
Photo: Brian Kinywa
Image: courtesy of WOMADelaide
The World in Her Hands
Comedian Anisa Nandaula on making people laugh both online and in live performance
Words: Allan Riley
At the end of our interview, social media sensation Anisa Nandaula assures readers that her show is “very, very funny” in a call to them to come along. After she chats with us, it’s apparent that the show won’t be just funny, but genuinely insightful.
Dating experiences, working in a bank and growing up in regional Queensland are just some of the stories that feature in You Can’t Say That, Nandaula’s tour debut.
“What inspired me to focus on those experiences is that they’re so different,” Nandaula says.
“Being a Ugandan in Rockhampton is a story that I have never heard before. I don’t know if there were any other black people there, because I didn’t see them. So I really wanted to share that story, because it’s unique, and it’s also influenced how I navigate the world.
“I would say that race shaped how I respond to things that happen to me, like race shaped dating, working at the bank, my relationships, my family. And when you’re talking about race and politics, especially experiences of racism, sometimes people feel bad for you, so they don’t laugh, or they’re too preachy, so they don’t laugh. I want to make them laugh, but I also want to tell my story.”
When it comes to giving new comedians an opportunity, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have revolutionised the industry. Nandaula is part of a new wave of comedians who have leveraged social media to grow their profiles and audiences, with over 200,000 followers on Instagram and 300,000 followers on TikTok. So just how has social media helped Nandaula grow her profile?
“I live in Queensland, and obviously not all stories are welcome, not all people are open to hearing stories from a black woman. But when I turn on my phone, I can tell stories on there,” she says.
“My audience is now the whole world and my audience expands. So it just gives me con-
fidence that if a joke doesn’t work in Queensland, it doesn’t mean it’s bad.
“Previously, comedians became more mainstream by working the comedy clubs. You do shows every single night, and then you become famous. But now that’s not the case. You can have no comedy skills whatsoever and be famous and fill theatres all over the world, and then you learn the skills later. It flipped it on its head.”
“My audience is now the whole world”
Given the differences in both mediums, writing 30-second videos to a full-length stand-up set could be a challenge, but Nandaula, who has a background in slam poetry, hasn’t faced much trouble adapting to the shift.
“The difference with TikTok is, I think, ‘does this make me laugh?’ and then I say it, and if it does make me laugh, then 97% of the time it will go viral or it will do well,” Nandaula explains.
“But with a 60-minute show, that’s not the case. I say it doesn’t make me laugh. I share it with an audience. They say, ‘No, it doesn’t’. And then I repeat that joke about 300 times over and over and over again until the audience gets, sees it, and thinks it’s as funny as I did.
“My comedy is very heavily writing-focused. If you hear me do comedy, you can hear ‘oh, yeah, she’s a writer, she likes to write jokes’. Also, the way I try to captivate people’s attention on stage, I can tell if someone’s not listening to me, and I know what to do to bring them in.”
SHOW Anisa Nandaula - ‘You can’t say that’ VENUE: Rhino Room TIME: until 1 March
A Share of the Cake
From humble beginnings as an alternative birthday celebration, Ben Volchok’s The Ceremony has taken on a life of its own
Words: Laura Desmond
Image: courtesy of the artist
“It becomes like an in-joke with the audience”
The Ceremony is Ben Volchok’s eighth solo show, but it is like no other he’s created before. “I was used to things being written and planned and curated but this show is a conscious challenge for myself of letting go of the crutches you have with a scripted show – I throw myself into the abyss of the moment and have to open myself up as a person and performer to whatever happens.”
To mark his 30th birthday during 2020, Volchok sent a survey to a number of friends and invited them to a video call entitled 30th Birthday Ceremony, but provided no other information. The survey asked his friends their experiences and feelings towards regret, hope, and growing older.
“I opened the meeting and started talking and that was it. People didn’t have any idea what was going on and didn’t know if I was serious or not. They would chime in and it was a communal way to put a marker in the ground of my life. It was personal and meaningful and I had to pull myself into the moment.”
This sparked a performance craving for this spontaneous energy, well removed from his previous scripted solo shows. “It was earnest but also kind of bizarre and ludicrous at the same time. It’s loosely tied to the idea of ritual and meaning but with this idea we create our own meaning.”
The online survey became prompts on pieces of paper and a bucket to pull from. Based roughly on the past, present and future,
Volchok (or the audience) read from the prompts and then explore participant’s trials, tribulations and successes.
“It becomes like an in-joke with that audience – no one else can know. Because of that it has meaning as we are the only ones who have lived it. It’s silly and chaotic but it is a real experience because we experienced it together. You find these real moments of profundity alongside these moments of joy and exhilaration.”
With a completely blank slate each night, there’s no way of knowing what stories will be told and what feelings they will evoke.
“It’s simply a series of these disparate experiences and it all makes absolutely no sense, but somehow still makes sense. It’s so empty that you have to project your own meaning. So is it empty in the first place?
“People surprise themselves in the show. I’m always so touched. It’s interesting to see how willing people are to share what we don’t often consider. In a show, we’re not really stepping outside of our lives – the world is turning and those seconds are still passing, our hearts are still beating – I try to tap into that subconsciously.”
SHOW The Ceremony
VENUE: The Courtyard of Curiosities; and State Library – The Chapel TIME: until 9 March
Head Over Heels
Image: courtesy of the artist
Kane Enable discusses her very own drag wedding performance, where one lucky audience member will become her groom
Words: Mahala Gainer
Adelaide’s drag royalty, Kane Enable, is taking the stage for her second ever Fringe show This Is My Drag Wedding! After a successful debut to the scene in 2024 with This Is My Drag Show, she returns with her new showstopper that combines her fabulous drag with her comedic flair.
Last year’s performance drew from her own life and how she became the drag queen she is today. “It was really fun to challenge myself,” says Kane, “and see how I could put what I would normally put on the stage in a three-tofive-minute show, into an hour-long show.”
After turning her life into a drag show, she began searching for a fresh idea for 2025. “I’d already spoken about everything in my life from birth so I was like, well, what now?”
Drawing on a love of weddings and pop culture, Kane decided that she would create her own drag wedding. “I just thought, well, what if I never get married? I might as well put on a show and get paid to do a wedding.”
“I wanted to do something that I already had a love for, an interest in… which sounds insane to say I have an interest in my own wedding, which has no prospects of happening,” she laughs.
right in her backyard, Kane made her way from that first performance of ‘Your Song’ to the Fringe stage.
Audience jokes and heckling is expected, ensuring every night of This Is My Drag Wedding! will have its own unique twist. “It’s kind of fun to leave it up to the audience to take the direction of the show. I give them the bones and then they are going to dictate how this show ends.” The ultimate goal of each show is to find Kane a groom. “We’re going to find a groom. I’m going to find a groom, whether he knows it or not. If you don’t want to be involved with audience participation, just sit in the back,” Kane jokes.
Kane has always fought to prove her talent as a drag queen and was excited to see her comedic gift shine through in last year’s show. She wanted to make sure to leave time in this year’s show to embrace her newly discovered flair for comedy through audience participation. “I think that is the best thing about comedy. Magic happens when you least expect it.”
“I’m going to find a groom, whether he knows it or not”
Kane began her drag journey in 2019 after frequenting Adelaide’s iconic drag club, Mary’s Poppin. “I used to come to Mary’s all the time. I then became friends with the drag queens, and I thought to myself, why don’t I just give it a go? And the rest is history,” she says. She took to the stage for her first performance to Lady Gaga’s famous cover of Elton John’s ‘Your Song’, a song she still remembers fondly now.
“I just kind of felt like it was something I was always meant to be doing and now I’m doing it.” With the second biggest Fringe in the world
This Is My Drag Wedding! is a must watch for Muriel’s Wedding fans with Kane rewatching the beloved film to inspire her drag. “Think Muriel’s Wedding through Kane Enable’s lens. Which sounds depressing but I promise it’s not.”
Kane is still letting herself find inspiration in the weeks leading up to opening night but promises lots of laughs, talent, a costume to remember, an 80’s influence and ABBA hits. “This isn’t a wedding, this is a drag wedding.”
SHOW This Is My Drag Wedding!
VENUE: Mary’s Poppin
TIME: until 22 March
Teaching New Tricks
Billie Duncan on turning the classics into stand-up gold
Words: Jade Woollacott
Local Adelaide comedian Billie Duncan only started doing stand-up after losing a bet. The deal was when her musically inclined friend finally released an EP, Billie would give stand-up comedy a go.
“We laughed about that for a couple of years and then one night I got a picture of his EP, so I started writing jokes,” Duncan says, and soon she suddenly found herself on stage at the Rhino Room’s Monday open mic night.
Having been a “drama kid” and a “really nerdy English kid” in school, comedy was something Duncan always wanted to try. But growing up in small-town Mount Gambier didn’t provide much opportunity to get on stage.
Duncan says she always found the jokes coming easily in social situations but was never sure if she had the “chops” for standup comedy. But after seven years, it’s safe to say she turned out to be at least decent
and she has frequented local stages ever since.
“I love being on stage,” says Duncan, “I just love making people laugh.”
Comedy is just Duncan’s side gig that she squeezes into the demanding schedule of day – and often night – job as a high school English teacher.
“Comedy is a big labour of love, especially when you do a job like teaching and you are often doing stuff outside of the classroom,” she says.
Duncan is bringing both of her passions together in a unique blend of English teacher and comedy for her show L!terature at this year’s Adelaide Fringe.
The show is Duncan’s own “spark notes with sparkling” for three classroom classics: George Orwell’s 1984, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
“I want to bring these classics out of the page and into a nice glass of wine,” Duncan says.
“It’s a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Even if you haven’t read any of the books, I’m hoping people will leave and be like ‘I reckon I could probably talk shit with someone about 1984'.”
This Fringe season will be Duncan’s first on her own, but her third as a performer and she says, “there’s nothing like the Adelaide Fringe”.
After a brief stint in Melbourne that saw her spending more time in Covid lockdowns than on the local comedy circuit, Duncan says Adelaide’s comedy scene is one of the most inclusive she’s come across.
“It's really, really welcoming, especially for an industry that is often quite divisive,” Duncan says.
“I think being someone who’s not a bloke has helped a lot, and it’s a lot easier here to get on stage without needing a penis.”
Since the impromptu beginning of Duncan’s comedy career her own brand of teacher comedy has resonated with crowds.
The idea for L!terature was inspired by a conversation between Duncan and her husband after she tried to explain 1984 to him.
Of the three books the show covers, Duncan says she’s partial to The Picture of Dorian
“I want to bring these classics out of the page”
Gray “because it’s such a beautiful, campy, quotable book”.
As a queer person herself, Duncan’s queer representation in the show was a necessity and she says Oscar Wilde was the obvious choice.
“I often say… [Oscar Wilde] is the first man to ever serve cunt.”
L!terature will almost be a recreation of that initial conversation with her husband – set in an intimate venue and bantering about some classic literature over a few glasses of wine. But Duncan says even if you aren’t up for drinking you simply need to be “in the spirit of drink”.
SHOW L!terature
VENUE: Curiositeas and Ibis Grenfell St TIME: until 23 March
Image: courtesy of the artist
Master of the Arts
Comedian Emma Holland chats about her trinkets
Words: Allan Riley
You wouldn’t expect model skeletons, Nosferatu and ornate tea sets to dominate an interview with a stand-up comedian, but it’s all par for the course for a chat with Emma Holland. Holland’s latest show, Don’t Touch My Trinkets, is a self-described show-and-tell where she shows off her artistic background.
“I come from a visual arts background, I’ve said it in every show. I have a visual arts degree so I’m always looking for ways to put it to good use and monetise it,” Holland says.
“I also spend a lot of free time in art galleries and I just started noticing very specific behaviours that I didn’t notice anywhere else. People will walk around with their hands behind their backs like they’ve been arrested. There are a lot of Capri pants. [They’re] the only place where I see people linger on ornate tea sets. I’ve never seen anyone stare at a tea set that long in my life.
“There’s just all these little things where these behaviours only happen in that one specific environment. I wanted to take that environment and put it on stage in my own way.”
All of the trinkets on show are art pieces made by Holland, featuring paintings, sculptures, collages and even a diorama. While most
of the trinkets are being kept under wraps, we do get one teaser.
“There’s a sculpture of my husband as Nosferatu that I built,” Holland says.
“I had to go to Eckersley’s and buy a lot of clay and God bless them, they love to ask what you’re making. I’m not a good liar and weirdly in social interactions, I can’t think on the spot so I just have to tell the truth. I was like ‘I’m making a sculpture of my husband as Nosferatu’ and there’s a lot of silence you have to fill after that.”
“There’s a sculpture of my husband as Nosferatu”
Carrying that amount of trinkets can prove a logistical nightmare but “being used to travelling with weird objects” has helped Holland adapt to the challenge.
“The first ever show I did, I had a model skeleton and I ended up having to buy an extra bag. I had to disassemble it to put it in the bag. There was one point where I didn’t zip it up properly, and I tripped over at the airport
and like, one of the bones came out. I don’t think you’ve lived until you’ve yelled the phrase ‘oh no, my bones’ in the middle of a domestic terminal while you’re trying to shove it back into the bag.”
Holland has become increasingly present on Australian television screens, featuring regularly on the rebooted Thank God You’re Here, with its improvised premise making it “way scarier” than performing stand-up comedy.
“It’s no joke. They hide everything from you, they put you in a separate make-up trailer; when you’re walking, they’ll put an umbrella over your face so you can’t see anything. By the time you get onto stage, you just have to say whatever. Stand-up’s different because at least you have that script to back you up; you
can do crowd work, you can riff but you always know there’s a background to come back to.
“It improves you as a performer because you have to learn to let go and just lean into what’s happening around you and be present in the moment. I think that’s a big key to being good at stand-up because the audience is different every night; just embracing what they are offering, energy-wise, and giving them a show that is specific for that night. It’s a good mindful exercise.”
SHOW Emma Holland – Don’t Touch My Trinkets
VENUE: The Courtyard of Curiosities
TIME: until 2 March
Image: courtesy of Live Nation
She Sez
Naarm-Melbourne based comedian Sez discusses her comedy and Gen Z coping mechanisms
Words: Laura Desmond
As an online persona, Sez is disarming, honest and somewhat taboo. Her topics, however, never seem as taboo to her. “It’s so wild that people think I’m being political – like incels. I’ve received messages from men who are having some kind of crisis because women take shits and have periods. Talking about something like that to me isn’t crazy. In my friend group it’s not a big deal. The show is giving the energy that I don’t care – comedy is in such a weird place right now but I’m so excited for young comedians who are challenging these basic ideas. I thought we covered hating women in the 90s.”
Being an undiagnosed neurodivergent kid in school meant Sez had to form ways of coping. “I was weird because I was trying to distract people. I was embarrassed that I didn’t get it, but they thought I was trying to be funny or to be disruptive.” But selfreflectively, that seemed the norm to her. “In primary school I was very odd and weird – I didn’t think I was [at the time] but looking back I see it was weird.
“I come from an Irish and Scottish family, so lots of shouting. I’ve always been that person who is quiet for most of the conversation and then I’ll say something ridiculous and walk off, but I didn’t realise I was doing it. I get it from my Irish grandpa – we’re weirdly connected in
a positive toxic masculinity way – he gave me tools to handle the comedy scene.”
Her musical comedy is taken from her life, but is also a reflection of the ongoing worldly trauma that Gen Z has had to grow and evolve within. “Every week is a fucking realisation of a bare minimum life skill. The show started as a musical comedy take on kinda-young-butnot-really, but I’m using ‘keeps me young’ as an angry statement because you can’t give your full opinion since the world is a bit cooked.
“Comedy is in such a weird place right now”
“It’s hard trying to write among wars and the constant complaining and trying to figure out what’s toxic. This show is just me grappling with the contradictions of everything. It’s me being like 'What the actual fuck is going on, what are we meant to do?' Existing is traumatic so everything we do is a trauma response. I’m probably going to exhaust myself with this long-form menty-b.”
In building the show, Sez headed to open mic comedy gigs weekly to trial her content.
She’s also brought Tom Ballard in as her director for this show. “Sometimes I hate doing gigs constantly but I can see how well it’s worked for my work. I try to get feedback from very different people for comedy and for life. If you ask enough opinions the answer is generally in the middle.
“My comedy has affected me deeply in a really hectic way and also in such a beautiful
and amazing way by connecting to people. If comedians seem kinda hectic it’s a reflection of the vibe. We’re trying to reflect what you’re thinking.”
TIME: until 9 March
SHOW Sez – Keeps Me Young
VENUE: Rhino Room
Photo: Chris Hillary
Pecking Order
Eva O’Connor on her bird-brained, award-winning play Chicken
Words: Arusa Qureshi
W
hen Eva O’Connor and Hildegard Ryan created the character of Don Murphy, there’s no way they could have anticipated how far their hopelessly flawed, proud Irishman would go. Even more so because the ket-addicted, Oscar-winning actor isn’t a man at all – he’s a chicken.
“I’m about to go on stage as a chicken”
“Our initial idea was to write a vegan call to arms, because we’re both vegan,” says O’Connor, who co-wrote Chicken and performs as its titular character. “We thought, what if we write a play from the POV of a chicken – it started as this kind of joke.” But the joke soon became serious business when the Summerhall venue – a former veterinary school – offered them a slot during the Edinburgh Fringe in a cramped space in the vast building’s basement. The room provided the perfect chicken coop-like setting for Don’s story.
“The play then took on a life of its own,” O’Connor continues, “and we ended up writing all about Don the chicken, who’s a famous actor, who shuns chicken-kind and is desperate to make it big in the industry.”
The bizarre yet heartfelt tale follows Don as he wrestles with identity, humanity’s flaws, and an addiction to ketamine, all while embarking on a journey of self-acceptance. On its initial run, audiences were taken in by the play’s mix of humour and absurdity but also how it balances comedy with introspection in an unexpected way.
“I thought it was an extremely serious piece,” O’Connor laughs. “But it’s actually really funny. I remember when we did our first show, it ran five minutes longer than I thought it would because everyone was laughing so much.
Photo: Hildegard Ryan
“But people also leave talking about things like how they now think differently about eating chicken or about the struggles of addiction and loneliness. And people often say they’re surprised by how much empathy they had for Don.”
O’Connor doesn’t hold back in her performance, permanently poised in pecking position, with feathers flapping in sync with every movement. “It’s probably the hardest show I’ve ever done,” she admits. “It feels like doing an intense hot yoga class while also trying to deliver a really good performance.” The physicality is so grueling that during one rehearsal, O’Connor suggested to director Hildegard Ryan that Don could perhaps perch on a stool every now and then. “She shot it down immediately, saying ‘Eva, chickens don’t use stools.’”
Adding to the immersion is a striking costume designed by Bryony Rumble, a frequent collaborator with Punchdrunk, that mimics the visceral presence of a bird. “There’s a weird flapping noise the costume makes,” O’Connor says. “It wasn’t planned, but it sounds so much like a bird that it freaks people out.”
Despite initial nerves about the show’s peculiar premise, Chicken has been met with critical acclaim, with nods like the Filipa Bragança award for best female-identifying solo performer at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023 and the Best Performer award at the Dublin Fringe 2024.
“Sometimes I feel like that happens with the shows that you’re least confident about,” O’Connor says of the reception. “I remember
saying to our director before my first ever show, ‘I’m about to go on stage as a chicken, this could be so humiliating’. It felt like a very big creative risk, because the whole thing is batshit but it really paid off.”
With support from Culture Ireland and Australian producer Joanne Hartstone, O’Connor is excited to bring Chicken to new audiences this year. “Adelaide Fringe has such a great vibe,” she says. “I feel like they’re a bit like Edinburgh audiences – really, really open to seeing new stuff. It’s always exciting to tour because when you put so much work into building a show, you want as many people to see it as possible.”
As well as her run in Adelaide, O’Connor’s schedule is packed with the shooting of a short film with Screen Ireland, an upcoming tour of Chicken around Ireland and a London run of the show at Jermyn Street Theatre in May. “I guess we’re in that nice part when you’ve put all the work into the show, and then you get to bring it to people. It’s exciting,” she says.
Wherever O’Connor is headed next with Chicken, it’s likely that audiences will leave pondering the ethics of chicken consumption, wondering how our hero survived life in the celebrity spotlight or simply cackling at the absurdity of it all. Ultimately though, with his wide-eyed stare and endearing storytelling, Don Murphy is bound to prompt some hard truths about human (and chicken) kind.
SHOW Chicken
VENUE: The Courtyard of Curiosities
TIME: until 9 March
Photo: Hildegard Ryan
Shedding Tears
What story should we tell about our loved one once they’re gone? Delia Olam reflects on the uncertainties of grief, mythmaking and letting go ahead of her solo show
Words: Alana Pahor
“I’m forever in this shed of the many memories of a person, going: ‘OK, this time, I’m going to sort it out. It’s going to make sense.’ And it never quite makes sense.” When musician and theatre maker Delia Olam’s mother passed away a couple years ago, she inherited an amazing collection of interests, obsessions and craft supplies.
“But it’s completely filled my shed,” Olam says. She reflects on the idea of Swedish death cleaning, where a person condenses their belongings so they are easier for their family to manage once they’re gone. Because her mother passed away suddenly, the task has been left to Olam –and taking on the role of ‘memory keeper’ has been anything but straightforward.
the memory keeper? How am I going to tell [her] story?”
Olam seeks to unpack this overwhelming duty and grief in her upcoming Adelaide Fringe show, Swedish Death Cleaning vs. EVERYTHING (the shed.). "[My experience] is shared with the audience," she says. “Like: ‘OK, I’ve got people coming over later. We need to clear this stuff. Can you help me with it?’” As she selects items onstage, she starts a conversation about the significance of viewing a loved one through a new lens, and the difficulty of deciding which parts of their story to keep and throw away.
“Trying to make sense of a beautiful, complicated life is probably one of the most unnerving themes”
“I uncovered these old diaries of hers, and each of them have such a different facet to them, and are also in opposition, in many ways, to the stories that her sisters would tell,” Olam says. “She was this passionate person who had a major impact on people by making them feel more OK about themselves… But then there’s the sister who’s like, ‘I don’t think she ever hugged me.’ How are these different people the same person, and what is the role of me as
“I have been diagnosed with ADHD in the last few years… and I’ve realised how much of the stories that were told and retold [about my mother] were a fairly unkind reaction to not knowing that we were looking at an undiagnosed person with not only ADHD, but with autism as well,” Olam says. “There’s something meaningful about allowing that to enter the conversation.”
“Because [my family is] also neurodivergent, our memories are not very good and we do depend on seeing the item to remember the love… and there is a big burden on us
of what we choose to keep and therefore remember.” For Olam, music leads the way in expressing these dilemmas to her audience. “I feel so comfortable singing, but also really trust how that can hit the tenderest parts without labouring,” she says.
“I love making people cry – but having a cry about the invitation to reflect on things that are not so easily resolved. By putting it on the stage, there’s a safe place to explore grief.” We have all been in the shed, and audience members may feel eerily united by the realisation that none of us have the answers.
“It’s like Gothic tales, which have a supernatural and unnerving element,” Olam says of her show. “We would like to think that at some point
we’ll feel grief, not at all, or less… Trying to make sense of a beautiful, complicated life is probably one of the most unnerving themes, and maybe it’s not meant to be tied up in a bow.”
Still, Olam acknowledges we can’t hold onto the past forever. “We loved [my mother’s things] because she loved them, but they are encroaching on our space,” she says.
“We need this literal and metaphorical shed… there has to be a space to live and make our own memories.”
SHOW Swedish Death Cleaning vs EVERYTHING (the shed.)
VENUE: Holden Street Theatres
TIME: until 23 March
Photo: Chad Mauger
BUTCH MERMAID PRESENTS...
Antonio!
11-16 March 2025
2:30pm; 7:30pm
Hetzel Room @ The Courtyard of Curiosities
Decisions, Decisions
Asian-Australian actor, theatre maker and producer Danielle Lim shares a unique concept correlating with decision-making and mental health for her upcoming show, The Good Decisions Project
Words: Sarah Sims
“I
feel like sometimes we recognise more of the bigger achievements in life but neglect the smaller mundane ones,” says Danielle Lim.
Lim has experience in the theatre realm at art companies around Australia such as ActNow Theatre, State Theatre Company South Australia, OzAsia Festival and more.
“I’ve done a few shows ever since graduating in 2021 with a main stage debut for Cold Hands at Rumpus Theatre and exciting opportunities to develop my own work,” she says.
Last year’s show, Caught In Between was Lim’s first multi-disciplinary project and won a Weekly Fringe award for her captivating performance. “Caught In Between was my first solo show that explored my upbringing between Malaysia and Australia.”
Mental health has had an enormous spread of awareness through social media platforms that encapsulates the ‘no one is alone’ stigma to a more positive perception. “I’ve always wanted to make work that really resonated with who I was and reflect upon the highs and lows.”
With an abundance of experience, Lim hopes to ignite her passion in theatre for The Good Decisions Project to reflect upon her heartfelt stories and “influence about shaping the way people can think,” about the reality of decision-making. “I think it’s really powerful that this show can engage the audience with an important topic that isn’t very known to be shown at a live theatre performance,” says Lim.
Photo:
Chris Best
The Good Decisions Project is something very close to Lim’s heart, aiming to advocate about Mental health positively and create a “sense of community” within the audience where stories can be shared and learnt from. The concept of The Good Decisions Project was inspired by Lim’s past struggles with depression and anxiety of having doubts about different aspects in her life.
“I was at a low point in my life and planning the show has made me reflect on these experiences and hope to give a fresh perspective on mental health,” she says.
The show tackles redefining what is a ‘good decision,’ and the importance of small wins in our “everyday hardships.”
“We are feeling very experimental and ambitious”
“It explores the various states of our mental health and particularly dives into our process of decision-making and to find joy in smaller achievements like getting out of bed or buying a coffee,” she explains. “I hope the audience can resonate with some of the stories in the show as we aren’t focusing on a particular issue and looking at it in a general sense.”
With the success of Caught In Between, Lim wants her new project to explore art concepts that can make theatre feel “more modern,” with unique animations, film and live performances.
“We are feeling very experimental and ambitious with this project as we want to evolve and resonate with the time we are living in,” she says.
As other social platforms can be a ‘safe space’ to give advice on experiences and knowledge about dealing with mental health, there is also misinformation consistently shared. To prevent these issues, Lim wanted to share prominent awareness of mental health for The Good Decisions Project, by having a psychologist in her team. “Having a psychologist in our team was non-negotiable as we wanted everything to be represented accurately through our live performance and art concepts,” she says.
With the art of vulnerability being shared among a room full of people, Lim wishes the audience to enjoy the show and also encourages them to “find joy and beauty in celebrating small achievements,” in their current daily lives.
SHOW The Good Decisions Project
VENUE: The Warehouse Theatre TIME: until 15 March
Photo: Chris Best
Horror Show
What horrors lie within our subconscious? Ritual Events co-director Robbie Jones delves into the blend of arts, psychology and spirituality in their upcoming Adelaide Fringe show, Ritual Words: Alana Pahor
The appeal of horror doesn’t lie in confronting monsters and ghosts – not when you scratch beneath the surface. As Robbie Jones will tell you, the appeal of horror lies in confronting ourselves.
“The beauty of horror for me is being able to bring home the idea of the shadow of a person and forcing somebody to face that, because it’s not something that you can do in everyday life,” Jones says. “That’s the power of horror.”
This concept is the core of Jones’ and his partner Lisa De Palo’s interactive horror theatre show, Ritual. Audience members will be guided through a series of eerie ceremonies, where they will experience unsettling realisations about themselves.
“I’ve done a fair amount of study and work in psychology… There’s this massive overlay between spirituality, religion and psychology,” says Jones, explaining the choice to explore the self through ritual. “The way a ritual performs for us intersects art and psychology really heavily, because you have the theatre side of ritual, and that plays into this unconscious part of our psyche.
the hall, there’s lots of smaller breakaway rooms as well, so we can have intimate spaces with smaller groups.”
In these groups, audience members are invited to slip away from themselves into darker realms of their personas. “We symbolise [personas] in the show by having our audience wear masks,” Jones says. “When you come to the door, you’ll be given a mask to wear, and that mask is symbolic of the mask of the persona that we wear every day.”
While they play an important role in how we present ourselves in public, personas obscure the truth. “We can lose ourselves in personas and forget who we really are at that deeper level,” Jones says.
“These smaller rituals inside of the space are going to be confronting different parts that hold us back in life, or fears.” Ironically, by hiding their faces, audience members can reveal their true selves – even the parts their subconscious might wish to keep hidden.
“Each space holds its own little story”
“Where you have a group ritual, you have people filling certain roles,” he continues. “You might have somebody who takes on the role of the shadow, the trickster, and so on and so forth. You can use those archetypes to push the audience into these spheres of the psyche.”
Jones’ and De Palo’s appetite for the interactive began in 2022, when they created a Halloween maze for kids in their garage. “It just kept getting bigger and bigger [each year],” Jones says. “It turned into a five-minute house walk-through with hired actors and food trucks.”
Taking things up another notch this year, Ritual will be hosted at the Latvian Hall in Wayville, South Australia. “It’s a Georgian style manor, so it leans towards something that’s a bit horror and grandiose,” Jones says. “Inside
As for what these parts of the psyche are, Jones gives away very little. “Each space holds its own little story,” he says. “There are a few parts that make up something bigger at the end.”
This certainly contributes to the suspense of facing unknown inner fears, which Jones thinks is the main appeal of horror. “You might not know when you’re putting on a horror movie, but it’s like you’re resolving trauma inside yourself, or trying to discover these unknown parts of yourself, and you can do that through film and art.”
“With Ritual, the idea at the end of the day is the fact that, yes, the persona is important, but it can’t be more important than who your true self is.”
SHOW Ritual
VENUE: Latvian Hall
TIME: until 23 March
Spilling the Tea
Theatre actor and producer, Juanita Navas-Nguyen opens up about her childhood as a multicultural kid
Words: Sarah Sims
From a young age, Juanita Navas-Nguyen had always felt isolated through her ethnicity and struggled being the only kid that “looked different.”
What is a Boba Liberalist? Juanita Navas-Nguyen shares the meaning of this term described as “an Asian person living in a western world who uses their Asian attributes to gain more social status,” she says. “I’m not a Boba Liberalist but being mixed race, I’ve always questioned myself, am I performing my culture? Or is it inherently a part of who I am?”
Further making sense about the Boba Liberalism aspect of the show, “it correlates with questioning about our cultural identity as strong motifs such as handing out snacks and interacting with the audience,” she explains.
Navas-Nguyen has always wanted to be on stage and always wanted to tell her stories through a creative niche. “I have always written random quotes and messages in my journal as a teenager and I was just inspired to hopefully one day share random stories that don’t even make sense but hoping it can relate to someone,” she says. “Graduating in 2020, I was grateful to work on a few shows such as Eureka Day and Single Asian Female for State Theatre Company SA.”
A core memory from her childhood was a conversation with an older kid when she was only five years old. “My school taught Japanese
as a second language so one day an older kid came up to me and asked if I was Japanese and I replied, ‘I am Australian,’” she says. “She constantly kept asking me because she knew I was different and wanted to know why to prove a point.”
Looking back on her childhood, she hopes to “acknowledge being different,” and embrace who she is by connecting to her cultural identities and heritage. “I was ashamed of having a unique ethnicity when I was little and it always triggered my thoughts and intentions of always wanting to change.
“Am I performing my culture, or is it inherently a part of who I am?”
“Now being older I wish I was more connected to my culture as a Vietnamese and Columbian woman,” Navas-Nguyen explains.
Debuting in 2024 at the Adelaide Fringe, Confessions of a Boba Liberalist discusses Navas-Nguyen’s journey as a mixed-race kid living in a “predominately white society.” From sharing childhood stories about pivotal moments that questioned her identity, to a side of laughter, snacks and audience interaction. “The show is made up of those core memories
that I want to highlight and I have other actors pre-record these conversations with me to give a better detailed glimpse of these interactions than just telling the story,” she explains.
Confessions of a Boba Liberalist is the first independent work based around Navas-Nguyen’s personal experiences growing up as a multicultural kid in Australia and is “very personal,” as it is based off her own experiences where she can essentially “word vomit for one hour,” about her entire life.
“Growing up in a western society, being mixed-race can be a juggle of having different identities when we surround ourselves with different people in our daily lives,” she says. “The concept of the show is kind of an explora-
tion of identity and reflecting who we are from our life experiences.”
Navas-Nguyen hopes Confessions of a Boba Liberalist will continue to thrive into more engaging moments within the audience and reflect upon learning to love our identity as an individual through our culture.
“I believe we are in a time of shifting in today’s society, as more conversations about diverse backgrounds are being shared to create a community within these walls that were hidden in our childhood.”
SHOW Confessions of a Boba Liberalist
VENUE: The Courtyard of Curiosities
TIME: until 2 March
Body and Soul
Adelaide’s singing chef is showing her vulnerable side with a new show as she considers the lengths we might go to, to look skinny
Words: Jade Woollacott
From an early age, Michelle Pearson knew she loved singing. But as she grew to realise that her dreams of being the next Mariah Carey might not be as attainable as she once hoped, she started to feel she didn’t really fit.
Instead, she followed a career in public relations until a cabaret masterclass by local legend Catherine Campbell opened her eyes to a type of performance Pearson had never previously considered.
“It was kind of breaking down that fourth wall of theatre of being on stage and not having any connection to the audience.”
Now a cabaret artist herself, Pearson has been performing solo shows since 2013. The major success of her Comfort Food Cabaret after it premiered at the Adelaide Fringe in 2017 opened doors that have enabled Pearson to now commit to cabaret full-time.
She continues to tour around the world and also returns to Adelaide this season, as well as her newer “more accessible” show that celebrates Aussie anthems.
Image: courtesy of Adelaide Fringe
Pearson says her award-winning show Down Under: the songs that shaped Australia, which is also on this year’s program, is “a real show for boomers”. Celebrating classic Aussie rock, the show has just come off a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe where it won the House of Oz Purse Prize and the Fringe World 2024 Best Music Performance.
While Pearson has racked up an impressive portfolio of smash-hit shows and awards to match, her new show Skinny is her “greatest achievement”, that is, she says, “besides my son!”
After receiving the Frank Ford Commission – a $20,000 annual grant for the commissioning of new work by South Australian cabaret artists – in 2024, Pearson debuted Skinny at last year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
“It’s a really special show to me… and it’s a really personal story,” Pearson says.
“But it’s one I had kind of wanted to share for a really long time and it’s been really healing to do it.”
Inspired by her own long, tumultuous relationship with her body image, Skinny centres around Pearson’s first-hand experience and the lengths we might be willing to go to, to look skinny.
“The show really circulates around growing up and being constantly told there’s something wrong with my body,” she says.
“It’s a really special show to me and it’s a really personal story”
“One thing that really struck me after performing it [at the Cabaret Festival] is the amount of people just reaching out to me who were very moved by it.
“I guess the crux of the show is very much about the extraordinary and cruel things we do to our bodies and minds to be skinny.”
Despite the show’s vulnerable message Pearson says it is also lighthearted.
“It’s not all heavy, it is quite funny and there’s some great music in it,” she says.
“But it does portray a story that is very personal to me. It’s very different from anything I usually do.”
SHOW Michelle Pearson: Skinny
VENUE:
Gluttony
TIME: until 23 February
Ill-at-Ease
Performer Max Olman discusses how their medical and cabaret journey intertwined
Words: Charlotte Whincup
M
ax Olman was 11 years old when they started noticing they were sick. “My main symptoms at that point were breathlessness and fainting. I can just remember years upon years of medical gaslighting, gaslighting within my family, even if it wasn’t purposeful, because I do have asthma, which I grew up with. So everyone’s like ‘It’s your asthma. You’re okay.’ It was not OK.”
It wasn’t until about five years later that a GP asked them a crucial question: “Do you eat lots of salt?” Their response was, “Yeah, I sit with the salt by my bed. I eat it all the time.” Then: “Have you heard of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)?”
They replied: “I’ve heard of it on TikTok, but no, I don’t really know anything about it.”
After a referral to a cardiologist, Olman was diagnosed with the chronic condition, along with Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder, in April 2023. “Once I had answers, I was able to walk into school, go to the counsellor, and be like, ‘I have this. You need to help me. This is why.’ And I felt like I had so much credibility in saying ‘I’m sick’, and that completely changed everything for me, and especially because I am neurodivergent. That was so hard to communicate. I didn’t know I was neurodivergent until 2024 when I got both the ADHD and autism assessment.”
Now, on the cusp of 18, Olman is looking back on a “pivotal age” of their life in their cabaret show SICK-STEEN. “[It was a] moment for me, where I was able to be like ‘I’m disabled. I’m sick. I’m done sulking about it. I’m done pretending it doesn’t exist. I’m accepting it and I want everyone to accept it.’ I want other people to accept their experience too.”
The show began as a six-minute set for Hive Inspire Inc.’s Chrysalis in 2024, where they connected with other young people with disabilities and became “increasingly aware” of gaps
in media regarding disability. “I want to fill those gaps. I want to make people with disabilities feel like they have a space, and that they don’t just have to grow up and find their own way, which is what I had to do.” Olman is also holding space for adults and older people with disabilities who “still haven’t found their community.”
They add: “It’s about connection and celebrating disabled joy, while being very aware of the existence of ableism and acknowledging that… and destigmatising the existence of
disabled people; young, old, whatever they look like, whoever they are.”
Olman’s passion for cabaret was ignited around age 14 after their sister introduced them to the feminist themes of local artist Millicent Sarre. Sarre is their “biggest inspiration” and serves as their mentor and vocal coach. “She has taught me literally everything I know, and the way I have responded to her art over the years is absolutely all I want for other people to respond to my own art.”
As a Fringe Fund Recipient, Olman acknowledges that, without financial support, “[SICKSTEEN] would not be anything more than an idea or a dream.”
They say: “I have never been able to work… so being able to be supported by Fringe to begin what I want to be my career – I feel very seen… and celebrated.” They want to “give back to [their] community” who have supported them by supplying free care packages,
“It’s about connection and celebrating disabled joy”
containing sunflower lanyards, compression socks and ibuprofen, to disabled folk who attend the show. There might also be cake. “I want everyone to be able to leave the show being a tiny bit more understanding about disability in every appearance. While [being] disabled means you are unable to do things… it doesn’t mean that you’re not valuable, worthy [or] important.”
SHOW SICK-STEEN
VENUE: Prompt Creative Centre
TIME: until 15 March
Getting Into Focus
After almost a decade performing at the Fringe, Jessica Bigg and her bestie Eliza Dickson are teaming up to debut their hilarious neuro-spicy cabaret
Words: Mahala Gainer
Two of Adelaide’s independent artists Jessica Bigg and Eliza Dickson are putting on Late to the Party: The ADHD Hour, a cabaret exploring all things ADHD and being diagnosed later in life. The duo will take the audience on the joyful, wild and chaotic rollercoaster of life with a neuro-spicy brain.
“Make friends with your brain”
A seed was planted for the show when Bigg was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023. Coming from a musical family, with years of experience in the arts and performing at the Fringe, she was ready to produce a solo show. Then one night Bigg had dinner with Dickson. “We were talking about it, and I saw her eyes just light up and I was like… you wanna do it together? So here we are,” Bigg says.
Bigg was diagnosed with ADHD after struggling through childhood and adulthood not understanding how her brain worked. Since being diagnosed she has discovered how life-changing understanding your brain is. “Make friends with your brain, it’s like getting to know a person, they’re in your life whether you like it or not so get to know it and understand how it works.
“If you’re willing to open up to things and make friends with your brain, there’s no loss here, there’s only wins.”
The duo is stepping outside their comfort zones to bring the Fringe something super personal. “This is a little bit deeper than normal, we are putting ourselves into the show, so we’re a little bit scared, but we’re really excited,” she says.
The show will be broken down into relatable aspects of having ADHD, such as constantly losing things, time blindness and rejection-sensitive dysphoria. The audience should
expect a show full of belly laughs, singalongs and bucketloads of relatable content. Get prepared to sing your lungs out to parodies such as ‘Brain on Fire’, the duo’s ADHD take on ‘Girl on Fire’ by Alicia Keys.
Bigg has come to realise that much of what people with ADHD experience, everyone experiences. Neurodiverse people just often experience it more. “So everybody loses stuff, but, a neurodiverse person will lose their sunnies, and their phone and bump into the corner of a kitchen cupboard…,” she says. Many of these things seem trivial, but Bigg wants to start talking about what it is like to do lots of these things, every day, without being able to help it. Although the show is full of laughs it holds an important underlying message of “making friends with it, normalising it and laughing about it,” she says.
Despite the show being by two women with ADHD, all the symptoms explored are relatable
to neurodiverse people of all genders. Bigg wants it to be for absolutely anyone whether you have ADHD, think you might have ADHD, have a friend or family member with ADHD or just want a good laugh. “The show is going to be fun, lowkey and educational, it’s for everybody. It’s very disarming and very relaxed… it won’t be too scripted, because it’s us and it’s just going to be really fun,” she says.
The hardest part of putting on this show has been trying to get two ADHD brains to focus on the project. Much to Bigg and Dickson’s surprise, the show is somehow coming together. “It’s a miracle this show is happening,” Bigg jokes.
SHOW Late to the Party: The ADHD Hour
VENUE: Plant 4 Bowden
TIME: until 9 March
Care to Dance?
The Australian Calisthenics Theatre Company discuss bringing their sport to a wider audience
Words: Charlotte Whincup
“What’s that?” Growing up, Charlotte Yandell’s peers were mystified when she told them that she did Calisthenics. “In the last few years, it’s changed to ‘Oh, you do pull-ups?’, now that the American version has gotten quite popular. Me and my little twiggy arms, I’m not quite so sure I could manage that.”
Described as an amalgamation of dance, gymnastics, ballet and theatrical performance, Calisthenics is a uniquely Australian sport, with thousands of participants nationwide, that has been rooted in the performing arts scene for over a century, albeit one that is community-driven. “It’s run by clubs. There’s no money in this sport. Everyone trains in school or church halls”, says Carly Aherne, the Co-Founder and Marketing Director of the Australian Calisthenics Theatre Company (ACTC). She says that only around one in 10 people have heard of Calisthenics “or know someone who has done it once upon a time.”
“to take Calisthenics to the world” and create commercial opportunities for participants.
“We love finding those quirky
little Calisthenics connections”
Debuting two sell-out shows at Adelaide Festival Theatre last June with A Symphony, the Company has set its sights on the Fringe with Encore & Applause: The Genius of Cameron Mackintosh. Featuring SA dancers from the young adult age group, the show is a celebration of 12 songs from the beloved musicals of the British theatrical producer, including Cats, Les Misérables, Hamilton, Mary Poppins and Miss Saigon. Brown is “a Les Mis girl through and through”, while for Principal Dancer Yandell it also “holds a really special place in [her] heart”, having formerly portrayed a Young Cosette in an amateur production.
“There’s some misconceptions around how clever these performers actually are, and the amount of training that goes into getting to that really elite level.” It was these factors, alongside the cancellation of the 2024 National Competitions, that spurred Aherne and Artistic Director Brooke Brown to establish ACTC, designed
ACTC hopes that this curation will make the niche sport more accessible to the audience, regardless of their age or familiarity with Calisthenics. “We wanted to almost do a condensed version of A Symphony and then really appeal to our audience with show tunes that are super identifiable in Calisthenics, but also lots of people would already know and enjoy,” Brown says. Due to the lengthy and repetitive nature of Calisthenics competitions, Yandell normally only feels comfortable inviting immediate family to watch her perform, but says it’s exciting “to get to invite
everyone and anyone” to the Fringe. Joining the dancers on-stage is vocalist JD Smith of The Ten Tenors, who has “a really cool connection” to the sport. “One of his relatives is a very outstanding and well-respected adjudicator in Western Australia. We love finding those quirky little Calisthenics connections throughout the people that we use in our shows,” says Brown.
Despite nurturing world-class talent, Calisthenics performers are usually barred from entering the dance industry due to a misconception of “bad technique.” In her younger years, Brown recounts: “I always had to hide the fact that I had done 18 years [of Calisthenics] because no matter how good I performed at the audition, if they saw that on my dance card, then I was almost an automatic out.” She
says that Calisthenics performers’ adaptability to different dance genres is what elevates their skillset above other dance schools.
In five years’ time, Brown is resolute that ACTC will have an international presence, urging them to come along to “a show that’s like nothing they’ve ever seen before.”
“It’s not a musical, but it has your musical theatre components. It’s not a Cirque du Soleil, but our acrobatic skills are phenomenal. It’s not a ballet, but we have the grace and poise of ballerinas.”
VENUE: Fool’s Paradise
TIME: 6-7 March
SHOW Encore & Applause
In Harmony
Debuting his solo show at the Fringe this year, Matthew Benjamin talks about the importance of slowing down, and how he hopes his show can encourage people to use music as a tool for discovery
Words: Dani Bozoski
It’s a warm, mid-summer morning, the sun has barely risen. You only had to press snooze twice, but there’s no time to waste. Sleep can wait for the seven emails from the office requesting tasks out of your paygrade. Gym first, of course, but set a reminder to pick up dinner after work because it’ll be too hot to cook and the perfect temperature for scrolling.
It’s the life most of us are accustomed to, and it’s a tale as old as – well, it’s not that old at all. The practice of slowing down and looking inwards is long lost, but one of high impor-
tance, says the artist behind Tribal Sound Journey, Matthew Benjamin.
“I think in this fast-paced, modern world full of distraction and an idealisation of business, this music gives people an opportunity to slow down, to breathe and to create a mental and emotional stillness.”
“The show is an offering that I like to call a sound journey. I take audiences with me from one place to another. I start the show with a bit of a meditation. I encourage people to bring blankets or yoga mats, and it’s a bit of a sound bath at first.”
Image: courtesy of artist
“As it progresses, the tempo really picks up and it invites release and expression through dance fuelled by that high energy, high vibe; I guess you could call it the original EDM!”
The “other place” is not one set in stone, but one lead directly by those experiencing it, with Benjamin explaining that he would “love listeners to come away from the show feeling connected to each other; the connection that happens between musician and listeners is a sacred bond”.
The show, titled Gateways, will have its Fringe debut this year, and Benjamin has formulated an experience consisting of 15 of his original songs, with almost as many instruments.
“I play mainly the Yidaki [Yolŋu word meaning Digeridoo] and most of the ones I play I built myself… I also play the handpan, which is a beautiful melodic instrument, I do a little bit on the Native American drone flute, a jaw harp, a cajon, at times I pull out the djembe [West African drum], I’m using a kick pedal stomp box, live loop station, vocal chanting to create texture, and that’s all the instruments… at least for now!”
All of this implementation is not without purpose. Matthew says that he has trained hard to become a “multi-instrumental octopus” partly because he loves the craft, and partly so he can deliver the full and rich experience that only live music can provide.
“When you’ve got live music, it's unpredictable, it could go anywhere. It could stop, there could be silences – and there will be. I think in those moments of silence there lives a world of sound.”
“What I really groove on is seeing people just jumping”
“I really like the rhythmical elements and high energy stuff, but what I really groove on is seeing people just jumping. There’s a certain tempo you hit in the music where people just can’t help but move.”
Benjamin says that through the show, he hopes audiences can not only enjoy the Adelaide Hills scenery and find connection through music, but also overcome self-imposed stigmas.
“There seems to be a lot of inhibitions about moving your body, so we start really simple, moving freely into our bodies to start getting that body memory happening again.”
Whether you are looking for a reason to slow down and look inwards, or simply appreciate the craftsmanship of live music, Tribal Sound Journey’s show at the Farm for Wellbeing in Flaxley is one that wants you to be involved.
As for what Benjamin hopes, audiences might begin to question the “fast-paced nature of our world”, or at the very least walk away thinking, “Wow, that was an experience.”
SHOW Tribal Sound Journey
VENUE: The Farm for Wellbeing
TIME: until 21 March
Criminal Minds
Whether it’s out of fear, curiosity or simply a penchant for the macabre, there’s no denying the world’s appetite for true crime, as Roy Maloy tells us
Words: Talara McHugh
When we think of famous criminals, more often than not we overlook the Aussie lawbreakers whose crimes took place in the very cities and bushlands we call home. This is something This is something Roy Maloy, the award-winning true crime writer and performer, wants to change.
“Our stories are far more interesting than American stories yet we have spent generations obsessing over American Cowboys and Indians, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde and overlooking our own incredible stories, including Squizzy Taylor, Dolly Gray, Minnie Clark, Bridget Mahoney, Valentine Keating, Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine,” he says.
Described as a cross between Mythbusters and Casefile, his new show, Criminal Outsider – A Live True Crime & Forensics Performance, offers a chance to step into the past lives of some of Australia’s most fascinating and forgotten female lawbreakers.
“(They’re) amazing stories because they highlight the difference between the way people who identify as female at the turn of last century committed crimes in comparison to other lawbreakers at that time. Their methodology is different, their motives are different and their execution of their crimes is different.”
He’ll be joined on stage by Adelaide true crime author Ash Tonkin and Geelong Gaol Museum’s head historian, Deb Robinson, better known as Madame Murder.
Image: courtesy of artist
“It’s an interesting collaboration because each of us has such a different specialty area. Madame Murder quite famously ran tours for many years through Melbourne and the Geelong Gaol Museum for over 20 years and is one of the most esteemed presenters in the country. Ash Tonkin is only 18 years old, a prodigy and new to stage performance.”
With a new array of weapons and a skeleton which he’ll be firing projectiles into to test the calibre of various guns used throughout history, he can’t wait to hit the stage.
“I think that the public interest in true crime has allowed this opportunity to present these incredible biographies and the interest in the weapons demonstrations has really brought these stories to life.
“I absolutely love being able to discover these incredible things, and on top of that, finding accurate replicas of the weapons described to show the audience. The show also includes at least one weapon that was probably used in one of the cases that we have included in the book. The weapon was gifted to us to use for this tour by the family who have kept it in their possession for four generations.”
There will also be plenty of laughs – “all in good taste of course,” he says.
“I think it’s a fine balancing act between coping with trauma through shared laughter and not mocking the situation. I’m always very clear with my audiences that I don’t glorify the crime or the criminals but I try to understand
“The show also includes at least one weapon that was probably used in one of the cases”
how each individual goes from being a perfect baby when they are born all the way to a moment in time when they become one of the most notorious criminals in history. Similarly, when I make jokes during the performance they are never made in a way that is degrading or negative about a person or devalues their experience. The material I present is often satirical because it highlights the irony we experience as we analyse these cases and realise how human we all are.”
The show is inspired by the biographies featured in his new book, The Black Widow –Women Who Kill, which will be launched at the show’s SA premiere at The Bally in what will be “one of the biggest” he’s ever done.
SHOW Criminal Outsider – A Live True Crime & Forensics Performance
VENUE: various venues
TIME: until 21 March
Image: courtesy of artist
A Walk on the Wild Side
Horny for decriminalisation? Let Whore Walk take you on a sex work journey through time
You step out of the Duke of York Hotel onto Currie Street after a night in the beer garden. You’re a local, you know these streets… but do you really know them? You spot a glitter of characters on the corner. Two figures wearing shirts that say ‘Whore Guide’ beckon to you. There is a small group of eager strangers listening to what they say. Is that really the politically correct word*? Who are these strange people? Is that one wearing an old-timey bonnet? You must find out the answers to these pressing questions. Thankfully, you happened to purchase a ticket to Whore Walk and have coincidentally landed upon the meeting place for this event, AKA your metroCARD for space and time.
“Cold drinks at the front, hot times at the back”
1850s
The one with the bonnet suggests you follow them to the corner of Rosina & Solomon and suddenly it is 1851. Rosina is one of the busiest localities in the city, almost entirely brothels, including the ‘Monster Brothel’ which prominent citizens frequent. Cameras out! Spot the celeb! Damnit. The ‘gram hasn’t been invented yet. The activities of sex workers in this area so outrages residents that they insert notices in the daily newspapers warning one another. We advise finding the toughest looking ladies in the bar and grabbing your drink – quick, the cops are coming!
1920s
The Whore Guides whisk you off to the 1920s and all the hotels are no longer the hottest spots in town for dalliances. Find your comrades in the south-western corner of the city. These ladies are running dual businesses –cold drinks at the front, hot times at the back. Go in and ask for cigarettes. They will ask if you’d like anything else and if you say yes… the curtain will open. We’ll meet you out the back. In 50 years. Time flies when you’re having fun!
1970s
OK it’s the 1970s. But this is not feeling groovy. Rather than being hidden away, attention is focused on sex workers – they are seen as traitors by feminists and criminals by
A group of women on the steps of the South Australian Parliament House on Wednesday 29 April 1992, in support of the bill to legalise prostitution that was being debated at that time
Image: courtesy of Whore Walk
the cops. But the city now has 60 ‘massage parlours’ despite harsher laws, increased penalties, and 50% of sex workers having experienced arrest. Grab yourself a ‘sex work is work’ sign and make sure you’re on the right side of history! Solidarity with workers of the world.
1980s
It’s 1986 and you are invited to the very first meeting of PASA (Prostitutes** Association of South Australia). This is getting urgent. Police are confiscating safer sex materials while workers fight to combat the HIV epidemic. Get yourself a drink. Make it a large. We’re gonna be here for a long time. The longest running decrim campaign in so-called Australia is still running. Yes, we’re back in 2025 and shit is still fucked. And we’re still fighting. We hope you’ll join us. See you at the Duke for Whore Walk!
*No. Not for you, but we can use it all we like. **Also don’t use this one. Thanks!
VENUE:
TIME: until 23 February
SHOW Whore Walk: a sex work history walking tour
Duke of York Hotel
Image: courtesy of Whore Walk
Whore Walk
Adelaide Advertiser 1987 - Bulldog Dave Tee of the Ambassadors Christian Motorcycle Ministry proclaims his opposition to Carolyn Pickles prostitution bill on the steps of Parliament House, Adelaide. The bill was withdrawn six days later
Image: courtesy of Whore Walk
1. Adelaide Botanic Garden
2. Adelaide College of the Arts
3. Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE)
4. Adelaide Festival Centre
5. Adelaide Town Hall
6. Ayers House
7. Curiositeas
8. Dunstan Playhouse
9. Duke of York Hotel
10. Fool's Paradise
11. The Garden of Unearthly Delights
12. Gluttony
13. Goodwood Theatre and Studios
14. Her Majesty's Theatre
15. Holden Street Theatres
16. The Howling Owl
17. ILA
18. Latvian Hall
19. Lion Arts Factory
20. Mary's Poppin
21. The Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum
22. Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden
23. Plant 4 Bowden
24. Prompt Creative Centre
25. The Queens Theatre
26. Rhino Room
27. Samstag Museum of Art
28. Tainmuntilla (Park 11)
29. The University of Adelaide
30. The Warehouse Theatre
Wine, Family, and Innovation in the Barossa Valley
A trip to the inspiring grounds of Yalumba Winery
Nestled in the Barossa Valley township of Angaston is Australia’s oldest family-owned winery Yalumba. The winery is a hive of activity with an average of 200 workers on site at any day, assisting with the long production line that is winemaking.
Having celebrated its 175th birthday in late 2024, Yalum-
ba is headed by the seventh generation descendant of its founder, Samuel Smith. Now the Hill-Smiths, due to the headstrong wife Ida a few generations ago, Robert leads Yalumba with two of his three daughters, also heavily involved in the business.
Walking around the ground is a sight to behold. With three
full-time gardeners, each hedge and tree is exceptionally manicured. Some of the trees on site were brought over in the 19th century from England and are some of the oldest still standing varieties. Alongside the years of flora are the original buildings.
Lovingly named the Clocktower, the main building was erected as a gravity-flow winery. Although this aspect of the winery was decommissioned roughly 25 years ago, the large concrete tanks originally used for fermenting wine have been renovated into function rooms and an inimitable wine museum including not only an extensive back collection of their own varieties, but wines from across the world.
Yalumba also houses a functioning cooperage – the only winery in the southern hemisphere to do so. The current cooper Kym Venning explains the journey of living tree to wine barrel. At a minimum of 150 years, the trees are felled – often in France. They are left to dry out in the sustainable forest in which they have resided for their 150+ years, before being cut into the distinct stave
Lucy and Jess Hill-Smith
Image: courtesy Yalumba Winery
shape for barrel making. After lying outside in the elements in France for a number of months, the pieces are shipped to Venning where he begins the process of binding, bending and welding the barrels shut.
The forests in France where barrel oak is produced are tightly maintained and sustained by the French government. A number of years ago, celebrating years of working together, Yalumba were invited to view the felling of a 350 year old oak. They were able to purchase enough wood from the tree to make ten 100L barrels which they use for their single-vineyard Steeple Shiraz. Each year they receive new wood of the same age for their new vintage of the shiraz.
ries was one of community. Most employees stay with the winery for decades and are acknowledged and celebrated by the Hill-Smith family at their annual events. Taylor even tells the story of three generations of workers spanning over 120 years of service.
land to grow in larger plants suitable for export. In addition to vines, they also graft table grapes and currently grow around 60 distinct varieties.
"The wines created by Yalumba are steeped in both tradition and innovation"
The wines created by Yalumba are steeped in both tradition and innovation. Alongside tried and tested red blends that have scarcely changed in the duration of Yalumba’s existence, you find wine varieties never previously grown in Australia. The use of both warm and cool climate vineyards allows for such great diversity in their wine portfolio.
Tracy Taylor is an ambassador who has been with Yalumba for a decade. She is an engaging host, filled to the brim with stories of the vines, the family and countless employees. An endearing common thread within the Yalumba sto-
A short drive away from the homestead is the Yalumba nursery. During the cooler months, a team of expert grafters are hired to assist in exporting Yalumba’s vines across Australia and the world. An experienced grafter can make up to 2,000 seedlings each a day, resulting in 1.2 million in the 2024 season. These seedlings are planted near Waikerie in the River-
Visiting Yalumba and hearing the many stories of community, sustainability and transformation is inspiring. To partake in Australia’s oldest family owned winery, and one which respects its employees so genuinely, is nothing short of a privilege.
Yalumba Wine, 40 Eden Valley Road, Angaston SA 5353 @YalumaWine
Image: courtesy Yalumba Winery
Bar Guide
Whether you’re after a raucous night or a refined evening, Adelaide has the perfect spot for you across the city
Dive Bars
The Crown and Anchor Hotel
196 Grenfell St, Adelaide
Affectionately known as the ‘Cranker’, this pub is low key, with no airs or graces. The Cranker is only a block south of Rundle Street, and is close enough to use as a getaway from the outdoor Fringe hubs.
Cry Baby
11 Solomon St, Adelaide @crybabybar
Expect Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Led Zeppelin on the speakers, and local craft brews on tap. Feeling game? Challenge a friend to a bout of pool. Make things interesting by putting the next round on the line.
The Exeter Hotel
246 Rundle St, Adelaide
One of the most iconic pubs in Adelaide. Still housing its original wooden trimmed fridges and bars, The Exeter looks frozen in time. A spacious covered sunroom-style beer garden out the back is a good way to escape the heat. Sitting out the front, however, is a great way to score some clout.
BULLET CLUB
4 Moseley Street, Glenelg @bulletclubglenelg
Adelaide’s newest dive bar has opened just in time for festival season with a blend of American and Japanese beers, nibbles and vibes. Covered with 90s memorabilia, the bar (brainchild of two previous Cry
Baby bartenders) promises an Izakaya experience in the guise of an American dive bar.
Ancient World
116a Hindley St, Adelaide @ancientworld.5000
Artist-run bar and performance space Ancient World is both relaxed and excitingly hectic. Performance includes house DJs, poetry readings, drag nights, karaoke and bands among the cozy old sofas and open fireplaces. It’s a spit ‘n’ sawdust kind of venue – a grungy, authentic and inclusive refuge away from nearby Hindley Street.
Wine Bars
La Buvette
27 Gresham St, Adelaide @labuvettedrinkery
This French drinkery has some of the most stunning decor west of King William Street. Wines by the bottle are the norm, and the comprehensive French wine list is enough to keep any connoisseur happy. The bar menu is available through until midnight, with a full a la carte menu till 10pm on weeknights, and 11pm on weekends.
Mother Vine
22-26 Vardon Ave, Adelaide @mothervinewinebar
Mother Vine has one of the most impressive wine lists in the East End, coming in at 25 pages long. Wines from Spain, Italy, France, Australia, Portugal and Germany are available, with accompanying maps and
information about the regions. An impressive menu featuring French and Asian influences rounds off a great wine bar.
Udaberri
11-13 Leigh St, Adelaide @udaberri_adl
Over in the West End, Udaberri’s polished exterior and accompanying umbrellas are the focal point of Leigh Street. Sit at the bar and watch the trained bartenders as they burn rosemary and grapefruit for fresh gin and tonics. Or you can retire upstairs to the leather lounges for a more relaxed vibe.
Pastel Wine Bar
47 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide @pastel_wine_bar
Tucked away in North Adelaide, this restaurant/wine bar/art gallery is a quiet, unassuming space teeming with spunky character. The menu is packed with treats – we recommend the whipped ricotta starter, but from there you really can’t go wrong. Perfect for an escape out of the bustle of the CBD.
LOC Bottle Bar
6 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide @locdotcom
One of the best spots for natural wines in the city, LOC is a cosy, stripped-back joint a stone’s throw from the heart of the Fringe. Aficionados can pick bottles right off the shelf, or the clued-up staff can curate a selection for you –coupled with cute small-plate snacks if you’re peckish.
The Last Word: The Lady Boys of Bangkok
Hayley Gandey – circus performer, producer and creative director at Gandey’s Circus – reflects on the history and journey of The Lady Boys of Bangkok ahead of its arrival in Adelaide
Lady Boy shows have been a major nightlife attraction in Thailand for over 50 years, first emerging in Pattaya to draw tourists into bars and nightclubs. While initially seen as a new form of transvestite entertainment, these shows and their “Lady Boy” performers are rooted in much older traditions. Dr. Richard Totman, a British social scientist, has studied the culture, explaining that in Thailand (formerly Siam), people born male have long adopted female roles, known as kathoey. These individuals have historically held a respected, recognised position in Thai society, with the Likay performances at country fairs being an early precursor to modern cabaret shows.
Kathoey are often regarded as a third gender, occupying a space between male and female, consistent with Buddhist and Hindu teachings. This concept doesn’t have a direct counterpart in Western culture, and the term “transvestite” doesn’t fully capture the meaning of kathoey.
The Lady Boys of Bangkok cabaret show, founded by Phillip and Carol Gandey in 1998, was the first of its kind in Europe. Phillip spent two years perfecting the production for the competitive Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Though audiences were initially cautious, word spread, and the show eventually reached London’s Queen’s Theatre. Since then, it has grown into a dynamic, glamorous, and professional performance that has captivated audiences across the UK and beyond.
After Phillip’s passing in 2023, I took on the legacy and I hope that The Lady Boys of
Bangkok continues to thrive under my creative direction, constantly evolving to people’s tastes. The show’s celebration of gender inclusivity and joyful, high-energy entertainment has made it a beloved experience for people of all backgrounds, some would say trailblazed people’s acceptance and gave diversity a visible platform. I’m excited that this February, the show makes its debut at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
