Calling all over-achieving, family-event-planning eldest daughters with a most-likely case of undiagnosed OCD, THIS SHOW is about us! Recovering Eldest Daughter by Rachel Tunaley is a hilariously self-aware unpacking of eldest-daughter syndrome, but make it a witty solo musical cabaret!  This is Rachel Tunaley’s third self-produced cabaret show, and I believe she has fully nailed it with this new work. Out of the gate the narrative is clear, we are introduced to Rachel herself having just arranged the Mother’s Day present and breakfast (who else has been there before? ha!). When her brother announces their gender transition, suddenly Rachel’s title of Eldest Daughter can be relinquished! Eager to rid herself of the stereotypical expectations, what follows is a cleverly executed plot about Rachel exploring those inner workings of her identity, the role within her family and her mothering-relationships with gamer boys… Tunaley is truly a powerhouse performer, brimming with a bold se...

  Returning to Adelaide as one of The Garden’s big headline acts, is Stut & Fret’s five-star Circus Cabaret hit La Ronde. True to its name, La Ronde rejects the idea of a “best seat,” and delivers a 360-degree spectacle beneath its colossal disco ball. La Ronde instantly sweeps you into a sparkling, seductive swirl of cheeky, wild fun! This all star cast has been assembled from around the world - each highly professional in their respective acts and performance quality. A highlight for me was the show’s vocalist Gigi Mcfarlane, as a disco music lover I was instantly won over! The music choices alongside her vibrant stage presence had us all grooving along! The circus acts certainly impress. There’s stunning aerial work by Jenny Zvadskaia, Sergiy Mishchurenko, Diana Bondarenko and LJ Marles, who were all equally seamless and mesmerising on all disciplines from ropes to trapzeze. From Australia, Danik Abishev's hand balancing acts were an absolute riot!   As with all ...

  R-O-L-L-I-C-K-I-N-G: an adjective to describe Funk Soul’s Production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. meaning: exuberantly lively and amusing . I was very excited to return to a Funk Soul Production to kick off my 2026 season of community theatre. Last year’s production of ‘The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals’ was a personal standout, and after last night, I continue to remain utterly impressed at what a theatre company with an average age of 22 years old can accomplish! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee follows a group of zany middle school students competing in a local championship spelling bee. However, the audience is quick to learn that this competition is about more than just spelling, as the contestants reveal their personal insecurities, inner quirks and suppressed dreams. As the students continue to fire back correct answers to (suspiciously made up) words, the pressure mounts too high for some, revealing the vulnerability and resilience of pre-adole...

  There is no better show to round off Adelaide’s season of Musical Theatre than with one that celebrates the Icon herself, Dolly Parton. Here You Come Again is joyful, camp and packed with plenty of Parton whimsy!   Here You Come Again was created by the star of the show herself, Tricia Paoluccio. Initially written during the infamous days of pandemic lockdown, Paoluccio then teamed up with writer / director Grabriel Barre to cement their narrative. Here You Come Again is not a biographical jukebox musical, instead, Dolly exists as a whimsical fairy-godmother archetype in the “mind” of a superfan.  For the Australian Premiere, writers Mike McLeish and Fiona Harris have cleverly adapted the show for Australian audiences. The setting is a family attic in Bendigo, occupied by Kevin, who is recently dumped and living in his parents attic in the early days of the COVID lockdown. In his despair, he turns to Dolly, who magically materialises out of his life size poster!...

  From Flinders Drama Centre, the 2025 graduating class of students presented Future Shocks: New Voices On Stage this week, signalling the completion of their Honours Degrees in Performance.  I went into this show completely blind, but with an eager sense of excitement to see what these emerging performers had been called to create. I truly left feeling delighted and very impressed at the myriad of works presented, each a reflection of the performers’ individual artistry.  Directed by Anthony Nicola, Future Shocks is a presentation of each students’ culmination of their year-long investigation into “innovation of South Australian theatre.” Under Nicola’s guidance, it was obvious that each student had the opportunity to push the boundaries of theatre in each of their thematic performances.  Performed in the stunning Queen’s Theatre, the stage was set as an intimate semi-circle venue, backdropped by a large LED Screen. The screen allowed for some clever implementatio...

You b etter kick off your Sunday Shoes Adelaide, The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company’s current production of Footloose is here to take us back to the 80s! If you’ve somehow never known the plot of Footloose, it begins when big-city teen Ren McCormack moves to the small town of Bomont, and is shocked to discover that dancing is banned. Determined to challenge this law, Ren aims to convince the town’s strongest voice, Reverend Shaw Moore, all whilst falling for his headstrong daughter, Ariel. With the iconic 80s hits you know, Footloose is a celebration of youth, freedom, and the euphoric power of dance. Directed by Matt Smith, The MET’s show brings together a diverse range of local performers to bring this show to life. Lachlan Stieger is the charming Ren McCormack - who is impressively taking on his first lead role! Playing Ariel is the incredible Vasileia Markou who has a standout voice, especially in ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ and ‘Almost Paradise.’ Together, these two had clearl...