IT’S ALIVE! Asks the question - what happens when you have contemporary dancers improvise to a live jazz-funk band? The answer: a groovy, pulsating showcase that cleverly blends two genres that rarely meet.  The work is curated by award-winning choreographer Alix Kuijpers, Thomas Byrne and Mark Lurker who bring together a highly talented bunch of local and interstate dancers and musicians.  What I appreciated most about IT’S ALIVE! is that this concept is an accessible entry point for all audiences, whether you are a fan of contemporary dance or not. Because set to the backdrop of the funky jazz band, you are instantly lost in the rhythm of the music and dancers alike.  Mesmerising to watch, the beats and rhythms of jazz guide the dancers to move in abstract ways. You see them explore a myriad of shapes and movements - isolating body parts that are overcome by the propulsive rhythms and unique musical accents from the sax, synths and the rest. There are moments whe...

  Taking its name from the lists created by the Nazis to target gay men during the Holocaust and long after, is Michael Trauffer’s The Pink List. The show sheds light on an unspoken part of history- you may know that LGBTQ+ people were identified with pink triangles in the Concentration Camps during WWII, however the imprisonment and prosecution of those on the lists continued well after 1945. Most shockingly, it was not until 2002 that the German parliament apologised, and only in 2017, was compensation given to survivors. The Pink List is a story that is hard to hear. It's a poignant reminder about the cyclical nature of history… Yet through the transformative power of sharing stories from repressed voices, Michael leaves you with a deeper sense of empathy and hope. Michael has used real stories and experiences of those impacted by the Nazi regime to create a fictional character in which the show follows. Upon entering the intimate venue, Michael is already there, bundled in a co...

  The Cram Collective’s latest work Meteors is a profoundly personal solo work performed by Melissa Pullinger and directed by Connor Reidy. Also part of the work are Ren Williams, Connor Pullinger and sound designer Will Spartarlis. “Mums. Grief. Stars. Lasagne” is how they have summarised Meteors . However, this piece takes audiences through a profoundly earnest recount of the reality of dealing with loss and the phases that follow. They have expertly stitched together the before, the during, and the after of grieving someone dear that is just beautifully honest, accessible and alluring.  Solo onstage, Melissa is commanding, open, and confidently vulnerable. She instantly welcomes you into this story - some may be apprehensive about watching a work that explores these themes, yet Melissa exudes a sense of gentleness that is instantly settling. Melissa’s storytelling is excellent - perfectly paced and clear to follow, allowing the audience to visualise the realities of the sce...

Bringing Broadway’s biggest show stoppers to the Adelaide fringe is icon Philippa Lynas with her marvelous musical cabaret, Eleven O’Clock on the Dot. The genius concept of this show is that Philippa has taken the “Eleven O’Clock numbers” from the musicals you know and love, and has combined them in an expertly executed cabaret show on what makes them great. If you didn’t already know, these Eleven O’Clock numbers are the ones that are performed right before a show’s end, and Philippa takes the audiences through each one with anecdotes of how they came to be and her personal connection to them.  Backed by her incredible band, Philippa is a vocal powerhouse on stage. It is not lost on the audience how she professionally adapts the songs to suit her voice. No matter the original singer, she injects each song with her own flair. The show truly celebrates the hits from over the decades that remain imprinted in the hearts of audiences.  Throughout the show, Philippa delivers a mas...

  In a sweetly personal and impressive homage to Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Adelaide’s own Emma de Maria debuts her new Cabaret show to instant success amongst audiences. Emma has constructed a classic cabaret that is all class. There’s sequins, tap dancing, a live jazz band and feather fans, transporting audiences at Bavarde into an underground Parisian bar.  Sinatra e De Maria is Emma’s raw exploration of the influential figures in her family - she unpacks her heritage, childhood memories, family stories and mental health by matching these anecdotes to classic hits by Frank or Nancy Sinatra. As emerging local talent, Emma is one to watch if this is what she creates as her first solo debut. She’s vocally certain, and grew in comfortability on stage with her audience interaction, owning the vulnerability of live performance - this is what cabaret is all about!  Sinatra e De Maria is a thoroughly entertaining cabaret escape that oozes a golden-era glamour, establishing Emma ...

  Throwing their biggest hoedown party at the Adelaide Fringe this year, is Boombox Bootscoot, a roaring 6-piece country style-band! Setting the scene at Plant 4 Bowden, the band is decked out in their country garb, and the audience is ready in their cowboy hats for a roaring ride of hits from the 80s and 90s with a bootscootin’ flair! Boombox Bootscoot masters all the elements for a hootin’-tootin’ Fringe Show - an incredible live band, fun costumes, classic American country accents, and just the right amount of audience participation. The show is not just a concert, the cast encourages the audience to lean into the fun, orchestrating line dancing and sing-alongs throughout.  Inspired by Bluegrass cover bands, Boombox Bootscoot consists of Adelaide-based musicians Mikala Lane Wood, Crafty, Jacob Howard, Shelley Pantic, Kane Jones and Tim Shephard. Musically, the band combines Mikala and Shelley on vocals, with the others on instruments such as the banjo, fiddle and bass. They...