One of Australia’s most popular and longest-running festivals, the Adelaide Fringe Festival, has just dropped the full program for 2018’s go-around and as usual it’s absolutely chockers with delights to get amongst early next year.
The largest in the southern hemo and only second in the world to Edinburgh, The Adelaide Fringe is set to bring an insane 1223 events to the city of churches in February and March, which is quite frankly too many and you are no doubt disgustingly overwhelmed.
Having been flicking through the lineup since it dropped, we’ve put together this list of goodies that have ALL OF THE HYPE around them:
Opening Night Street Party/Parade Of Light
What better way to rip the lid of Adelaide Fringe 2018 than with hundreds of other Festheads at the official launch hootenanny, Friday February 16th.
Kicking off with a Sunset Ceremony paying tribute to First Nations and the spirit of the land’s original custodians, the kickoff event will see roaming performers and musicians, grog and food via the Night Markets and the switch on of this year’s new installation, the Parade of Light.
Even if you can’t make the opening night, the Parade of Light is a must see, with the entire North Terrace glowing up into “an animated corridor of colour, light and wonder”. Think Sydney’s VIVID festival but without the pretentiousness. The lights will be LIT AF every night of the fest, from 8.30pm.
Have You Tried Yoga?
Bringing real and raw stories of her own as well as those from her community, artist with a disability Rachel Edmonds shines a light on modern culture’s continued inability to properly engage with issues affecting those with disabilities.
As funny as it is poignant and dripping in “suppressed anger”, Rachel’s one woman show has already copped some stellar praise, being called “Entertaining, intellectually stimulating, and socially significant…you will laugh, groan, and cry – often all in the same breath.” Show deets here.
Sam Simmons – Radical Women of Latin American Art, 1960 – 1985
There’s stand-up comedy and then there’s Sam Simmons. Probably the country’s most uniquely bizarre and unconventional comic, Sam Simmons has been plying crowds with his singular brand of kookery for years, picking up a slew of gongs such as the highly-esteemed Best Comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe.
Whilst you can expect a couple of motifs in Simmons’ new show, Radical Women of Latin American Art, 1960 – 1985, such as obtuse conversations with his own conscious and prop-work designed to make you uncomfortably cackle, besides that it’s hard to know exactly where you’ll be taken with Sam.
But that’s almost half the fun. As Max Power once said it’s best to simply strap yourself in and feel the Gs. Show deets here.
Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams
If physical theatre/circus shows are more your cup of tea, you can’t go past this dazzling display of dare-devilry, which also comes with a remarkably true story.
Telling the IRL tale of Ethiopian brothers Bibi and Bichu, who dreamed of joining the circus despite their country not really having one, Circus Abyssinia follows the brothers magical journey to put together the first ever Ethiopian circus.
Take your niece/nephew and be wowed by some truly nuts acrobatics. Show deets here.
Demi Lardner – I Like Skeleton
Another comic playing with the whole idea of what stand-up can be is Demi Lardner.
Mixing traditional “here’s a bunch of jokes” stand-up with some more, shall we say avant-garde “I’m going to whisper sweet nothings directly into the forehead of an audience member” laughs, Lardner is coming off the back of a huge breakout year and her new show I Love Skeleton will no doubt be hugely popular.
That title isn’t a misnomer either. She just really, really fucking likes skeletons (see below). Show deets here.
I am a haunted skeleton in a meat jacket.
— guy who uses baby shampoo (@DemiLardner) July 4, 2017
I only eat full skeletons, for deathpower
— guy who uses baby shampoo (@DemiLardner) August 5, 2017
can’t wait for my meat to hatch and set my skeleton free
— guy who uses baby shampoo (@DemiLardner) October 12, 2017
Dion
Looking for festival experience literally outside the box? Experimental theatre piece Dion is a site-specific, immersive experience where you’re led by performers through the streets of Adelaide, exploring the story of a poignant heartbreak.
A perfect event to take those who are a bit theatre-phobic, Dion already has rave reviews with The Age calling it “a fringe lesbian revenge art grenade, an absurd trip to heartbreak and back again and… a magical mystery tour”. Event deets here.
Trumpageddon
As unfortunate as it may be, 2017 was the year that rancid orange man Donald Trump changed the world.
2018 isn’t looking that great regarding the leader of the free world’s penchant for ruining everything so why not get a solid laugh in before we’re all nuked to oblivion, via the insanely hyped Trumpageddon from the UK.
The absurdist satire piece, written and performed by Simon Jay, sold out at Edinburgh Fringe and will no doubt be popular AF when it hits Adelaide. Show deets here.
Zoe Coombs-Marr – Bossy Bottom
The winner of the 2016 Barry Award (the top gong at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival) Zoe Coombs-Marr is one of the most talked about stand-ups in Aus at the moment, and for good reason.
Discarding her erstwhile male persona of Dave for her first solo show as “herself”, Bossy Bottom will no doubt see Coombs-Marr’ wild erratic energy and sprawlingly meta approach to comedy having you gasping for air.
Seriously, this woman can make you piss yourself with a raise of an eyebrow. Trust us. Show deets here.
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Save some dollarydoos this Fringe season, with 25% off participating shows for BankSA customers. Find the right account for you here.
