Mar 08

ALDFRINGE2021 – Petit Circus: Bon Appetit – The Peacock @ Gluttony – 4.5K

This is another amazing circus show that comes to the Fringe every year: but this year, Petit Circus: Bon Appetit has been served up with a bit of a twist. As the name suggests, this circus trio’s performance is set entirely within a restaurant kitchen, big-top style, and includes a world-renowned chef, a hapless but helpful head waiter and the restaurant’s owner, Jane.

Of all of the kids’ circuses and shows that I have seen, this is probably the most seamless and professional, and features truly amazing stunts including fire juggling, tightrope walking (and juggling), musical acrobatics (yes, it’s a very impressive thing that features a trapeze and a ukulele) and my all-time favourite, aerobatic silks – to name only a few.

A quick look around at the audience confirmed my suspicions that the adults were enjoying the show just as much as the kids. In truth, I’d probably go and see this by myself, such is the level of acrobatic mastery and genuine entertainment.

If you have kids, like kids or were once a kid, this show is a total must-see.

4.5K

 

Mar 08

ADLFRINGE2021 – CIRCUS – The Flamingo @ Gluttony – 4K

I love a good circus (who doesn’t). If a circus does what it is supposed to do, there is a guaranteed amount of acrobatics, clowning, magic and general mayhem.

CIRCUS, presented by Showmen Productions, certainly doesn’t disappoint, even featuring an old-fashioned ringmaster with a top hat and tails (ambitious for Adelaide’s March weather, if you ask me). I have seen this show previously, and there aren’t very many new additions in 2021 – not that this matters at all, because the kids were enthralled regardless and clearly would have happily finished the show and walked right back in to watch it again.

Between the acrobatic dancers, mysterious magician, stuntman (probably my favourite part of the show – I just don’t know how he doesn’t fall to his death, or at the very least to a broken collarbone) and hapless clown, this show is just good old-fashioned circus fun for the kids.

I would recommend this show for ages 3 up. Be aware that stage management for this show has asked for a spare seat to be left between each family member, so if you have a particularly young child be forewarned that you may need to negotiate this.

CIRCUS is another excellent feature of the Fringe lineup. I can’t wait to see it again next year.

4K

 

Mar 08

ADLFRINGE2021 – Bubble Show with Mini Milkshake – The Flamingo @ Gluttony – 4.5K

Taking in a Fringe show with two kids on a Saturday morning is a task for only the bravest of parents or caregivers. Anybody who has ever tried it will surely agree with me, and I can’t have been the only adult in the long queue at The Flamingo feeling the same as me.

Nonetheless, the atmosphere of excitement for the Bubble Show with Mini Milkshake was high – and deservedly so. The plot of the show is simple but sweet: a man makes beautiful bubbles in all kinds of amazing variations, set against the backdrop of stunning music, and plays with his little ragdoll – who suddenly comes to life in all her mischievous, bubble-creating glory, much to her creator’s shock.

The plot wonderfully allows the bubble-masters to display their sheer wizardry, which is nothing short of breathtaking – featuring huge bubbles, tiny bubbles, moving bubbles, bubble juggling, silhouette-trickery and even smoke-filled bubbles. I’m honestly still trying to figure out how they achieved such trickery.

The show is probably most appropriate for kids between the ages of 18 months to 8 years, although it is certainly still entertaining for all ages.

If you want to see something unusual and spectacular with your young kids, you can’t go wrong with this show.

4.5K

Mar 03

FRINGE 2021: Karen from Finance is Out of Office – Gluttony – 5K

I’ll just come out and say it from the start: this is drag at its finest. This is pure entertainment. This is Karen from Finance.

One of Australia’s most beloved drag queens returns to Adelaide Fringe for the first time in years in her solo show. Karen from Finance has accrued 4 months worth of annual leave – primarily due to never having a day off in her entire illustrious career – and the boss is forcing her to take time off. One hilarious (four month long) bender later and she and her best friend Clippy (yes, Clippy of Microsoft Office fame) are stranded here, trying to get to Melbourne in time for her first day back.

This one-hour, one-woman effort is filled with more laughs, lip syncing, and wigs than you can poke a COVID-safe 1.5m long stick at. Karen from Finance more than holds the audience’s attention with big numbers and clever little ploys (including a sneaky trick to get more social media followers – and yes, I followed). This is quintessential drag but with a relatable and very Aussie edge.

If you need a good time this Fringe, look no further than Australia’s own Queen of Corporate.

Kryztoff rating: 5K

Mar 02

FRINGE 2021 – Ange Lavoipierre: Zealot – Gluttony – 4K

Do you believe in God? What about Santa? In that case, why not a Christmas demon called Krampus or a “slutty Blue Google Maps Dot”?

Comedian and Journalist Ange Lavoipierre of The Signal fame asks these questions – the same ones she asked her mum when she was 10, just before she was converted by a group of extremist Christians.

In Zealot, Lavoipierre plots her life’s course from young wannabe witch, through to young Crusader, on past her experience of being a 12-year-old groomed by a 21-year-old Pastor’s son, sailing by a bout of serious illness in her teens, and landing right here, telling her story and questioning how easily we believe what we’re told.

This hour of comedy storytelling borders on the absurd, niche brand of character-driven laughs that make Fringe theatre great. Fleshing out her bizarre cast of characters with spot-on voices and great costume changes, Lavoipierre’s show is at it’s best when it’s at it’s craziest. It’s in these moments, often through the guise of other people, that the funniest (and somehow the most poignant) stories are told.

Hampered by tech issues, noise bleed from neighbouring venues in Gluttony (Zealot is in one of Gluttony’s new open air venues), wind blowing half the props away, and as Lavoipierre herself put it, time away from the show, this hour of comedy wasn’t at it’s snappiest. Some lines were missed or fumbled, and there were sections where it was hard to hear over the chorus of WAP occurring in a nearby show. This, at times, seemed to through Lavoipierre off her game.

Having said that, there were plenty of laughs, great characters, and an engaging story from a fantastic performer. Just sit back, pray to Krampus, and bring an extra jacket. Tarot readings encouraged.

Kryztoff rating: 4K

Mar 01

ADLFRINGE2021 – BasketballMan can Fly – The Garage International @ Adelaide Town Hall – 4.5K

The Fringe always brings some extremely unique talent, and ‘Basketball Man Can Fly’ certainly delivers.

The show follows the extremely affable BasketballMan (aka Rashaun Daniels), who dreamed of playing for the NBA but, in his own words ‘came up short’. Instead, he focused his energies on perfecting his handling of the basketball, and honed his skills into being able to perform jaw-dropping feats of coordination.

Genuinely hilarious and breath-takingly impressive, BasketballMan makes it seem as though he really can do whatever he wants with the basketball – and can even fly while saving the world.

Based on both the raucous laughter heard from the young audience and the number of starry-eyed kids in basketball jerseys lined up outside after the performance, he certainly delivered.

This show is truly enjoyable for young and old, but will truly delight sporty kids between the ages of approximately 6 and 12.

An absolute must-see of this year’s Fringe.

4.5K

Mar 01

Lost Lives – Holden Street – 3.5K

By Ben Watson

A blood-stained bed idles the stage floor as the audience awaits the hard-hitting two-hander to come, Lost Lives. The vacant mattress marks the brutal death of a young woman, Jane Kelly. On the verdict day of her murder trial, an unlikely forensic cleaning duo begin their work – an elderly lady nearing her tether and a young Muslim boy. Despite Immediate friction between the pair, as the story progresses, similarities become apparent while mutually shared hardships emerge. Both characters struggle with loneliness and finding a sense of belonging in a morbid field of work and an ever-evolving society. A clever script normalizes the abnormal (domestic violence, murder) in order to highlight the subliminal challenges experienced by all.

a close up of a book

Humour seeps through the bleak plot in the form of both intergenerational and cultural conflict. Among the contrasting factors, a seemingly cold environment evolves into a safe space for intimate, vulnerable discussions. Unexpected twists and turns await as the story unfolds.

Frontline investigators aside, this drama offers an interesting perspective from the unsung cleaners of every grisly crime-scene. A thought-provoking play, delivering a pertinent message –  of moving beyond racial, cultural and generational stereotypes, embracing everyday commonalities. Simply put – don’t judge a book by its cover. Recommended for ages 18+, violent themes.

3.5K

Feb 28

DIRT – Holden Street – 4K

By Peter Maddern

When a 20 something Australian journalist (Wil King) follows up his similarly aged Russian tour guide (Patrick Livesey) after a museum visit a cat and mouse drama unfurls. At one level, can these lads confess and consummate lives as gays, on the other, what is the real story of homosexual repression in Chechnya that needs to be told?

King’s almost naive innocence in a world where the rules are very different to those at home is very becoming against Livesey’s battle scarred wariness in his homeland. The threat of state sanction in Russia more or less mirrors the risk of getting it wrong and being outed that still pervades gay relationships in Australia.

The creation of various personas to get what each wants adds to the tension, underlining the confusion and fraught nature of moving hooking up to some of relationship no matter the setting.

Both actors do a great job, being comfortable in their roles, no doubt helped by they being real life partners. The spare stage, bar the couch, is cleverly and convincingly used as the chase scurries across the space. Not completely convinced the ending is the best possible but no doubt playwright Angus Cameron agonised over that more than enough.

Another excellent headline act at Holden Street.

Kryztoff Rating    4K

Feb 28

FRINGE 2021 – Attenborough and his Animals – Hillside Theatre at Gluttony – 3K

By Belle Dunning

As you recline on a grassy hillside in Rymill Park, Clownfish Theatre cleverly bring to life a cast of animals from David Attenborough’s most iconic films with nothing but their two bodies. Making use of one of Gluttony’s new outdoor stages, ‘Attenborough and his Animals’ is a fun, light-hearted exploration of theatrical comedy. 

Jess Clough-MacRae is incredibly skilful in her imitation of a motley assortment of wildlife, capturing your imagination with cleverly choreographed body movements, hilarious facial expressions and mind-blowingly good sound effects (a particular highlight being a fight to the death between a crab and an eel), while Jonathan Tilley has meticulously perfected the signature lilt of Attenborough’s voice.

The two are dynamic in their interactions with one another and the audience, blending moments of absolute hilarity with the heart-warming vibe you expect from a wholesome nature doco. 

Perfect for die-hard Attenborough fans, but a fun night out for the whole family, Attenborough and his Animals is showing in Gluttony until Sunday 7 March. 

Kryztoff Rating 3K

Feb 28

ADLFRINGE2021 – Shake It – Gluttony – 3.5K

Nothing screams Friday night like a variety burlesque show deep in the heart of Gluttony, and this show  certainly delivers.

‘Shake It’ is a combination of the most raucous, wild and titillating acts of the 2021 Fringe. Not for the faint of heart, there is nonetheless something for everyone (over the age of 18 at least) – including seductive striptease, amazing hula hoop acts, and a very creatively used popcorn machine, and much, much more.

The act of the night almost certainly was the whip-cracking dominatrix, borrowed for the show from the delightful Rouge. 

If you’re looking for an entertaining, fun and adult way to spend an evening, ‘Shake It’ is a great option.

3.5K