The biggest arts festival in Australia is back again for 31 amazing days, running from the 17th of February until the 19th of March.
Stretching from Whyalla all the way across to Naracoorte and playing to audiences aged from 1 to 100+, Adelaide and the wider surrounds are set to again become the mecca of all things comedy, theatre, cabaret, visual arts, music, circus, street performance and so much more.
With so much visual, sensory, and auditory deliciousness to choose from it can be hard to decide what to see and do! So we’ve curated a list of some of our favourite very best shows the Adelaide Fringe has to offer.
Cabaret Comedy - 60mins
From ovary-havers to allies, everyone is sure to have a lot of fun at Endo Days. With hilarious original songs, anecdotes, and a whole lot of love, this show will have you in stitches (but not the painful kind).
But it's not just about the laughs - Endo Days is not only a show poking fun about Endometriosis is also about raising awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding this often misunderstood condition. It starts a conversation and creates a community where those affected by endometriosis can feel heard and supported.
So come along and join Libby and her jarmy army band - You'll leave feeling empowered, informed, and with a smile on your face.
WINNER Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award - Best Cabaret
★★★★1/2 "If only public health education campaigns were this good." The Advertiser
★★★★★ "One of the things that made this show so special was the absolute love and compassion that radiates from Libby to the entire audience." Glam Adelaide
★★★★★ "A must see for anyone with a uterus or knows someone with a uterus." Kids in Adelaide
Presented by Expressions Media, Libby Parker Trainor and Matthew Trainor are two Adelaide-based artists and producers with an extensive history with the Adelaide Fringe, dating all the way back to 2002. Working on shows together since 2013, they have collaborated on various highly-praised shows such as 'Endo Days', 'The Vinyl Club', 'Box Set Blues', 'Truth, Beauty and Delusions of Grandeur' and 'Something Borrowed, Something Blues'. for the 2023 Fringe festival, Expressions Media has taken on the responsibility of managing the venue, Prompt Creative Centre.
Comedy Improv - 60mins
A personal shout out to our Social Media lawyer friend Paul Gordon! Performing in "Dropped In It".
Picture this: every single night, a skilled improviser is locked in a soundproof booth. They'll have no idea what's going on onstage until 15 minutes into the performance when they are finally let out. And what's their job, you ask? To step into the shoes of the lead character, lines and all.
Can they handle the pressure? Can they deliver a performance that'll knock your socks off? Or will they crumble under the weight of it all and become the laughing stock of Adelaide? Only one way to find out!
Triumphantly returning after sold-out shows in 2021 and 2022, Adelaide's improv darlings, Tenuous Link ( ★★★★★ All Over Adelaide, ★★★★ The Advertiser, ★★★★ On The Record) present their latest creation: Dropped in it!
Tenuous Link Productions are an Adelaide-based creative production company. We specialise in long-form improvised comedy, and draw our cast from Adelaide's best improv troupes.
Proudly supported by Campbelltown City Council’s Community Arts Grants program
Theatre and Physical Theatre / Storytelling - 50mins
Join the journey of a lifetime with our unlikely hero - a middle-aged, menopausal woman who's forgotten her ticket but not her sense of adventure. Follow her as she sips over-brewed tea and munches on stale croissants, only to be stopped by a stranger with a simple question, "Do I know you?" What could possibly happen next?
A lament of the Gen-X era, a journey through time, and a coming-of-age experience in middle age.
Tracy Crisp's first show of her new trilogy kicks off with her signature blend of humor, poignancy, wit, and whimsy.
Presented by Tracy Crisp - A recognised writer and performer who creates a collection of memoir monologues, that offer a unique perspective on life through the eyes of a Gen-Xer. With her clever and amusing language, mixed with moments of poignant reflection, she takes her audience on an emotional rollercoaster from laughter to tears and back again.
Maggie McGinty hails from Glasgow, Scotland and is a theatre and stand-up practitioner. She currently resides in Adelaide where she has contributed as a performer, producer, and writer in both comedy and theatre. With a clutch of nominations and accolades under her belt, Maggie takes great pride in her achievements and enjoys collaborating with Tracy to bring captivating stories to life on stage.
Written and performed by Tracy Crisp
Directed by Maggie McGinty
Reviews for earlier shows:
★★★★★ "This is live storytelling at its best" InDaily
★★★★★ "Stay(s) with you long after the theatre lights fade" The Advertiser
Interactive - 7hrs
All are welcome and encouraged to join in. This is a family-friendly alcohol-free event.
Presented by the Tal-Kin-Jeri Dance Group, come and participate in a festival of sharing culture and healing the spirit in the beautiful natural setting of Belair National Park (main oval and pavilion) with Ngarrindjeri / Kaurna elder Major "Moogy" Sumner, a world-renowned performer and cultural ambassador.
Following a welcome smoking ceremony, participate in interactive cultural workshops (dancing, weaving, painting, wood carving, boomerang, and spear throwing); sit back and listen to storytelling and truth-telling in the yarning circles with Elders. Enjoy wandering around the community and First Nations artist marketplace.
The Adelaide Fringe Community Fund will be purchasing tickets for First Nations community. If you are unable to buy a ticket, please email foundation@adelaidefringe.com.au to request tickets. Please advise in your email how many tickets you require and if they are Adult or Children tickets. (Child between the ages of 2 – 12 years). The Adelaide Fringe Community Fund allocation of available tickets is limited. If you are able to purchase tickets, please support the presenter and artists and purchase.
Important information:
Bring a chair/blanket, food/snacks etc (some food available for purchase on the day). Free car parking is available via the Belair Holiday Park entrance (follow the signs to the main oval).
Cabaret/Comedy - 60mins
Why would anyone choose to become a teacher, when they are burdened with a heavy workload, low pay, high burnout rates, and a compulsory dependence on caffeine?
From grading assignments and attending parent-teacher conferences, to completing professional development requirements and providing relief lessons, it's a wonder how teachers manage to keep going. Is it their passion for education that drives them? The prospect of time off during school holidays? Or perhaps they find humor in the challenges of the profession, which could make for great comedic material.
Presented By Expressions Media, from the award-winning creative team behind 'Endo Days' (★★★★★ Glam Adelaide, ★★★★1/2 The Advertiser, Fringe Weekly Award: Best Cabaret), 'Extra Curricular' pops the cork on the teaching profession. A show by teachers, for teachers, or anyone who has ever sat in a classroom. Attendance will count towards compulsory PD hours*.
*may not actually count towards PD hours
Comedy/Stand-up - 75mins
Presented by Wes Snelling, top-rated First Nations Allstars with sell-out seasons and 5-star reviews across Australia and the UK deliver hearty laughter straight from the heart of this vast brown land. The line-up includes Sean Choolburra, Kevin Kropinyeri, Andy Saunders, Jay Wymarra, and the winner of the 2022 Deadly Funny award, Janty Blair.
“Belly aching, cheek-hurting, hilarious” The Advertiser
"Thought-provoking and wildly funny." The Wee Review
"Properly entertaining. This is exactly the kind of show the Fringe needs. Fresh voices, new perspectives. As Kevin might say – this show is deadly. Go see it and you will understand." The Scotsman
"Truly funny, indigenous comedy!" Broadway Baby
“This is warm, genuine comedy but with an underlying message that you'll carry with you after the Fringe." Broadway World
★★★★★ The Advertiser
★★★★★ EdFest Mag
Kids and Family / Musical theatre - 120min
Presented by Theatre Bugs, the Adelaide Theatre Academy is delighted to announce its return to the Norwood Concert Hall, having previously enjoyed immense success with its productions of Oliver, Peter Pan, and Mary Poppins.
This time around, they invite audiences on an extraordinary musical journey, featuring a remarkable car that can fly through the air and sail the seas.
Based on the beloved 1968 film and boasting an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (the masterminds behind Mary Poppins), this show promises to be a delight for audiences of all ages.
Join Caractacus, a quirky inventor, and his children Jeremy and Jemima, as they restore an old race car found in a scrap heap to its former glory. Little do they know, the car possesses magical powers, including the ability to float and take flight. However, when the villainous Baron Bomburst sets his sights on the car, trouble ensues.
Don't miss out on this thrilling, high-flying adventure that is perfect for the whole family.
Comedy - 60mins
"Nona Mona’s parents didn’t come to this country so she could be a 36-year-old unmarried, childless comedian who prefers the company of cats & plants. Or did they?
Eating cereal for dinner, gossiping with your cat, & scrolling TikTok at midnight is all part of a healthy balanced lifestyle, right?"
Get ready to laugh with Nona Mona's latest one-woman comedy show! In just 60 minutes, she smashes sketch comedy and clowning together to give you a hilarious look at what life in your late thirties is really like when you reject all those pesky social and cultural norms.
And trust us, Nona Mona knows what she's talking about following her Fringe Weekly Award winning, sold-out season of 'Hot Mess'. But don't worry, she isn't just another boring party pooper. Oh no! She's ready to spread her... wings and show you a good time! So grab your friends, your mum, and even your grandma (if they're into that sort of thing), and come see what all the fuss is about!
Comedy / Solo show 60 mins
Yoz has been called many things- a fever dream wizard, an instrument of distraction, a hot piece of sass- but never a 'rule breaker', and for good reason. This by-the-book bad binch holds one rule above all others: NO BABIES IN THE SAUNA.
If you have ever taken off your aeroplane seatbelt before the little seatbelt sign turned off-- if you have ever crossed a road at a slight diagonal within 25 metres of a pedestrian crossing-- or if you have ever walked shoulder to shoulder with four of your friends down a mid-size footpath, then please... do not see this show.
Every rule has a reason, every caution sign has a cautionary story, and every baby has to GET OUT OF THE SAUNA RIGHT NOW.
Witness absurd-solo-sketch-comedy from this multi-award-winning creature like you almost-definitely have never-ever-ever seen before.
★★★★★ – "a mesmerising performer" Mindshare
Presented by:
Theatre and Physical Theatre / Comedy - 60mins
Get ready to experience a world premiere of a theatrical comedy by the incredibly talented and award-winning artist Britt Plummer (Chameleon and The Baroque). Britt's on a mission to break through the shackles of bureaucracy and navigate the complexities of modern relationships, all while keeping her sanity intact. Brace yourself for a night of side-splitting laughter, as you witness physical comedy, groovy tunes, and at least one character hopelessly in love!
Directed by Jess Clough-MacRae (Attenborough and His Animals and MANBO)
Choregraphy by Paul Westbrook (Rouge)
“Britt commands the whole room - in this charming, quirky performance, you can’t help but feel a part of something. Yes. Yes. Yes.” Fringe Feed (Chameleon)
★★★★★ Fourth Wall, Chameleon
★★★★★ Fringe Feed, The Baroque
★★★★★ James Murphy, The Baroque
★★★★1/2 The Advertiser, The Baroque
★★★★1/2 Fourth Wall, The Baroque
★★★★ Gutter Culture, Chameleon
★★★★ Fest Mag, Chameleon
This event is taking place at the Yurt at Migration Museum, 82 Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, Kaurna Country.