Crowd control

Shrinking violets might not be up for a bit of audience participation during their night out at the theatre, but others cannot get enough of it. With Adelaide’s Fringe hosting a series of immersive productions, Brian Donaldson takes a deep breath and prepares to get involved

In a classic early episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry finds himself reluctantly attending an immersive theatre performance of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. Trapped in a room before the show with a cast member he knows personally but who is method-acting his tiny white socks off, Larry fails miserably to break through the meta construct of their conversation.

You have to wonder what he would make, then, of Confetti And Chaos (Adelaide Royal Coach, 10–19 March), a surprise wedding party that turns into a fully blown calamity. Audience members become unwitting guests caught in a crossfire between warring family members that make the Montagues and the Capulets seem like best buddies.

That show is brought to you by the same people behind Faulty Towers The Dining Experience (The Terrace Hotel, 17 February–12 March), as restaurant diners (that’s you lot) try not to get on the wrong side of Basil or end up in seemingly endless chit-chat with Sybil. Let’s hope no one ends up like some of the guests in the TV series (eg dead from kipper poisoning or apoplectic at not being able to order a proper Waldorf salad).

TattleTales:ImmersiveTarotStorytelling (Arthur Artbar, 17 February–5 March) comes with the classic promise that no two shows will ever be the same. Intimacy and innovation are on the menu here as the mysterious Storyteller acts as your guide, helping you to discover an ill-fated (or really exciting) destiny.

Some might argue that few performers love a spot of audience participation more than a drag act. And so DragShowTheGameShow (The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, 6–13 March) introduces us to The Beastie Girls who assure you of a ‘non-cringey type of audience interaction’ as they harangue (sorry, encourage) crowd members to help them win a series of challenges. Ignore your inner Larry and throw yourself in.

For full listings details, go to list.co.uk/ adelaide-festival