Feb 19

FRINGE 2013 – Champagne Cabaret – Universal Wine Bar – 3K

By Fiona Gardner

Champagne Cabaret running, until the 14 March, is a part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival at the Universal Wine Bar. The trio, Katrina, Sarah and Jessie, combined with some sassy moves and passionate humorous songs make this fine dining a champagne experience. The Universal Wine bar is a fantastic venue although a couple of pitfalls with exterior noise and the seating arrangements makes this entertainment a tight experience. So if you are stuck squashed next to the most annoying patrons in the world things may not be perfect.

Overall this wine tasting experiencing was a delight and as the three of them shared there personal love stories from growing up, to the loss of their dear friend Ashley, to the joys that a Champagne ride can take you on including various covers from Cranberries, Oasis and Queen. All three possess immaculate vocals alongside the ability to entertain through story telling.

As suggestions, I would of liked to have seen this type of entertainment continue to flow during the serving of the wine and also adding some sexy dresses with a few quick costume changes, to set the feel for each of them individually, could have helped heighten the performance experience.

Overall these three ladies possess great team spirit and fine talent. $15 tickets for Tuesdays and you can see more of their shows at their website http://www.ozcabaret.com/ – keep in mind as a different idea for weddings and sorts of functions.

Kryztoff Rating   3K

Feb 18

FRINGE 2013 – Lily Slade Shaved Her Legs For This – The Maid – 2.5K

By Rupert Hogan-Turner

Lily Slade gingerly stepped onto the small stage in the back room of the Maid and Magpie for her first ever Fringe performance.

Her show was about her favourite subject, herself. She discussed her favourite activities, some stories and showcased some of her talents.

Lily brought some hilarious gags, but failed to fully engage the audience. The result was extended periods of a quiet, tepid crowd, staring blankly at the performer.

This can be forgiven, given that it was her first ever performance at the fringe and her first performance of her new show. The quality of the jokes was there, but her nerves seemed to dominate the performance.

A comedian worth supporting, with fantastic potential, who’s confidence and hilarity will grow with the size and support of her audience.

 

Kryztoff Rating       2.5K

Feb 18

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL – WIN A DOUBLE PASS – COMPETITION

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THE COUNT DOWN – 12 DAYS TO GO!!!

WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO ADELAIDE’S FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL

Kryztoff is very pleased to join with Future Entertainment to offer you a unique opportunity to win yourself a double pass to this year’s Future Music at Bonython Park on Monday, March 11.

Of course, this year’s Futures looks like being the biggest and best yet with headline acts Avicii, The Prodigy, The Stone Rascals and Dizzee Rascal – to name just a few of the world class acts coming to Adelaide.

WE HAVE A WINNER! WELL DONE BRODIE HUDD

SO THIS IS HOW THE FULL LINE-UP GRID LOOKED

FM Comp Final

Want to know more about Future Music in Adelaide then:  CLICK HERE

Not sure if want to wait and want to buy tickets now, then:   CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Remember, to enter, send us the complete table to win@kryztoff.com stating your name and address.

Feb 18

FRINGE 2013 – Choir Girl – Tuxedo Cat – 4K

By Ben Nielsen

It doesn’t take long to realise why Choir Girl was a sellout at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Sarah Collins’ raucously funny show follows the story of an over-bearing choral singer who experiences a constant cycle of rejection. Collins wrote the show and also stars as the main character Susan, but it’s far from self indulgent as she certainly excels in both roles. The script is thoroughly entertaining and hilariously witty, although, the exclusivity and fast pace of the humour may bamboozle some audience members.

Collins’ portrayal of Susan is both irritating and loveable. An impressive repertoire of facial expressions and vocal tones exposes Susan’s desperation to assimilate with the other choir members, and her desire to attract the attention of the male accompanist.

Neither a Broadway musical nor cabaret, Choir Girl is simply theatre with cleverly incorporated music. As well as providing sound effects and subtle choreography, the small choir also configure themselves into human props. The choir also proved itself to be a real powerhouse of musicality. Most impressive were the long interludes of silence after which the girls would break into song, without so much as an intonation or pitch issue.

Blocking was slick, and scene changes were assisted by an effective lighting design. However, there were a number of major technical issues- surely just ‘opening night blues’.

While front of house operations were below average, The Tuxedo Cat is a fantastic venue, admirably reclaimed from disuse and deterioration. Of the building’s six venues, Choir Girl played in the small upstairs ‘Green Room’.

It is unfortunate that the Adelaide Fringe Festival is now so large that even the best productions are forced to perform in little more than storage cupboards. Unairconditioned and with no ventilation, it was difficult to fully immerse oneself in the brilliant production.

With audience members fanning themselves and the cast simply dripping with sweat, it was not long before the performance was halted due to the collapse of an audience member. No doubt this was a consequence of the venue operator’s lack of responsibility and inadequate facilities.

The actors and production crew acted swiftly and with grace, and the audience were eventually delivered the remainder of this fine production.

Kryztoff Rating     4K

Feb 17

The Magnets – Garden – 4.5K

By Anthony Nguyen

All the way from England, the much highly anticipated vocal group, The Magnets, were here at the Adelaide Fringe 2013 with their brand new show titled Homegrown, signifying and celebrating over five decades of British hits that the members grew up to in their childhood years.

With no backing track or band, The Magnets, consisting of 6 male members, performed with nothing other than their voices in a true a capella style from the bass and the drums to the assisting harmonies.

Accompanied with entertaining choreography, The Magnets performed a setlist of over 10 musical numbers over a wide range of genres and artists including Richard Hawley and Led Zeppelin to the more modern contemporary artists such as Adele and Emeli Sande. Furthermore, an original song was also done from the group which was an impressive addition.

A particularly engaging highlight of the show was by the group’s beatboxer, Andy Frost, who delivered a jaw-dropping solo beatboxing performance which could only be best seen to be believed.

By the show’s end, the vocal group performed a medley consisted of songs from British bands and artists selected by the audience. The choices available would be billed as the best of the British, including The Beatles, Queen and The Rolling Stones to the more modern One Direction and Coldplay. Many artists in the medley would have much better fared as a main song in the show’s setlist, as their short corresponding parts in the medley left you wanting for more.

The Magnets: Homegrown stopped nothing short of being a must-see show at the Adelaide Fringe this year. There was no doubt that very few showgoers were disappointed with the show, as the quality was of high standard and well worth the ticketing price. Shows continue on throughout the month until March 17th at The Garden of Unearthly Delights.

 

Kryztoff Rating: 4.5K

Feb 17

FRINGE 2013 – Op Shop Tour – 5K

Treasures from the Tour

Treasures from the Tour

By Julia George

Presented by Op Shop Tours Australia http://www.opshoptours.com.au/

This (very hot) afternoon my sister & I jumped on an air-conditioned Adelaide Metro bus, accompanied by 20 or so other women (and a couple of guys) from a range of ages, all ready & rearing to discover what five Adelaide  second-hand shops had on offer. We were warmly greeted by our host, Sasha Catalano, who created an energetic and friendly atmosphere.

Today’s tour was titled “Find me in Findon”, but there’s also “Blackwood Bonanza” & “North to Magill” on offer at this year’s Fringe, exploring op shops in different areas of Adelaide.

Our four-hour adventure started at the Salvo’s store on Morphett Street, city, but unfortunately there was no time allocated to browse through the store and we were briskly whisked off to our first stop, the Salvo’s store on Goodwood Road. This is where the bargain hunting began, my sister found a Tina Kavlis skirt & I picked up a beautiful bright pink silk top.

We were then taken to In Vogue on Belair Road, where there were a range of vintage fashion dating back to the 50s! We had a laugh looking through what was on offer & had some fun trying on some dresses from the 60s. The store also had a large cafeteria type area, where tea & freshly baked scones baked by an onsite chef were available for a gold coin. Mmm delicious!

Next we headed further west, where we arrived at Vinnies & the new Red Cross Superstore, side by side on Grange Road. The stores were large, stock was plentiful & bargains were abundant. I found a cute Babydoll checkered shirt & a vintage picnic basket – all for $15! Last stop on the tour was a Salvos store, also in the Findon area. The store was the largest of them all, and some of the ladies on the tour picked up some beautiful vintage brown leather bags.

Our host Sasha looked after us well when we were in the shops, pointing our bargains & great buys. During transit between stores, Sasha ran competitions and give-aways all part of the on bus action.

The tour was a fun afternoon, and a great way to discover the city and go to places I never knew existed. I also feel warm & fuzzy supporting local charities, and reviving & recycling old clothing. I will be back!

Kryztoff Rating     5K

Feb 17

Neon Bogart – Higher Ground East – Art Base – 1K

Neon Bogart is a great concept about future noir sounds to transport the audience into an underworld of Jazz-cabaret. Hitherto the delivery lets this 2 person band somewhat down. Sure some of the pieces hit the spot and now and then the sound created is harmonious. But a lot of the sounds let this trying performance down with the audience probably wishing to be in outer space. Not helping are some cabling issues which cause a constant hiss not a fault of the performers. Biggest let down is the volume of the vocals which manages to drown out the instruments which may be something the audio technician at the mixing table may want to consider adjusting before it drives the audience out.

A unique concept that certainly has a place with some creative lighting and doesn’t fall over for lack of energy and effort by the performers but does lack an amount of refinement.

Kryztoff Rating   1K

Feb 17

Mindfulmess – Higher Ground East – Art Base – 3K

Mindfulmess

Rich Batsford – Mindfulmess

Mindfulmess is by but also about Rich Batsford’s journey through life in the search of mindfulness and as Rich says ‘inspired by tales of love, loss, friendship, freedom and the search for a meaningful, authentic  life in the modern world” with all but one piece composed by Rich.

From the UK, Rich, who has been living in Adelaide for the last few months in the lead up to the Fringe, plays the piano and the vocals for the pieces from this his new album, Mindfulmess. This collection of both instrumental as well as vocal songs, presents a mix of well balanced energy and serenity and described as meditative piano music for creating a haven for tranquillity and mellow reflection by the artist.

Certainly an emotion stimulating performance for those who want to be taken on a reflective journey. Additional points have to be given for the artist performing without weaver through the incredibly heat at this pop up venue.

Kryztoff Rating   3K

Feb 16

Like a Fishbone presented by EarlyWorx in theatre and art – Higher Ground East – 2.5K

A word of caution – this show is not located at the traditional Higher Ground venue near Hindley Street and Morphett Street – instead, as I discovered much to my despair twenty minutes and a long sprint before the show started, the new venue Higher Ground East is at 188 Grenfell Street, almost at East Terrace. An incredibly funky and already very popular venue which incorporates various bars and was absolutely packed by 7.30 on the opening night of the 2013 Adelaide Fringe, this was a slight downfall for the intensely serious and personal theatre performance of Like a Fishbone, as the taut atmosphere required for the play was nearly destroyed due to the incongruous laughter and clinking of glass coming from downstairs. Although the performers did an excellent job of disregarding these external influences, it has to be said that it killed the vibe a little.
Anthony Weigh’s Like a Fishbone is indeed an intense play. Focussing only two central characters – a devoutly Christian mother who is grieving the loss of her child and an architect who has been commissioned to design a memorial to commemorate those lost in the tragedy which stole the other mother’s daughter – with occasional intervention by the architect’s eager young assistant, the piece revolves around the clash of these two diametrically opposed women and the things that give meaning to their lives.

It is impossible to deny that the play is full of pathos and real emotion. Unfortunately, the characters are far too clichéd and stereotyped, and the play is thereby rendered predictable and, more importantly, it is difficult to connect with the characters on any deeper level as they are, effectively, well-known caricatures. This prevented me from being taken inside myself and personally connecting with the play. Even the eager young assistant, played ably by Rebecca Calandro, who was supposed to provide the voice of reason and the middle-ground between the two older women, instead served only to dilute the emotion further.
Moreover, Like a Fishbone attempts to grapple with too many enormous issues – religion, motherhood, the nature of womanhood, societal reactions to tragedy, to name but a few – in one short hour for any of them to be properly explored.
Nonetheless, the play was well acted. In particular, Amy Victoria Brooks playing the dogmatic bereaved mother was a stand-out, while Shannon Mackowski performed capably as the architect, notwithstanding that she was significantly constrained in her one-dimensional role as a corporate drone.
If you enjoy thought-provoking theatre which sets the seed in your mind for deeper thought long after you have left the venue, then this is the play for you.

Kryztoff Rating: 2.5K

Feb 16

FRINGE: Theatre – Breaker – Holden Street Theatres, the Arch – 4K

In a school room on a small island, two strangers meet. Dan (Finn den Hertog) has come to the remote community in search of the town of his grannie’s tales, while Sunna (Hannah Donaldson) is the local teacher – a born and bred islander, who doesn’t take kindly to interfering city boys. Over the course of an hour, Breaker explores ideas of community, folklore, family, hopelessness, and the often gaping divide between memories and reality.

This is a Scottish/Icelandic co-production, from writer Salka Gudmundsdottir, and the depressingly beautifully feeling of the piece reflects its origins. Under the direction of Graeme Maley, Austin and Wood give solid and engrossing performances; though Austin’s volume could be moderated in the earlier parts of the interchange and Sunna’s anger allowed to build more slowly over the course of the show. Both actors face the challenge of creating characters that progressively reveal the personal demons necessary for an intriguing plot-line, without seeming clichéd. They achieve the balance well. However, Austin does seem rather youthful given the history of her character and this also makes the contempt she shows for Dan’s age somewhat odd.

On the technical side of things, the set is sparse and the movement appropriately minimal. Atmospheric sounds add to the eeriness of the piece. The low lighting, while suitable for the mood, was distracting at times – although parts of the action necessarily occur in semi-darkness, other segments seemed insufficiently illuminated. As such, you are left focusing most heavily on the dialogue, which is engrossing, and this may be the intention. However, the consistent darkness fails to create an effective contrast in the specifically dimly-lit portions, or allow the audience to see the tacit aspects of the actors’ performances.

This is another high-quality production at Holden Street, which offers strong performances, interesting subject matter and an opportunity to think, feel and contemplate.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K