Should you be so interested by what I've written that you want to buy tickets straight away, just click on the link following each entry.
Familiar with their work
Guy Masterson and the Centre for International Theatre
The immensely talented, award-winning actor/director/producer Guy Masterson is back with even more shows than in previous years; the full list is on the website here.
I'll happily recommend all of them, with particular focus on these:
The Ballad of the Unbeatable Hearts
"Globally acclaimed Richard Fry (Bully, Smiler) returns with his 3rd blistering tour-de-verse. A pay-it-forward tale of undaunting hope in the face of stigma and bigotry, Fry's world is so achievable you'll want to become an activist! You'll laugh and cry in the same breath."
Richard's a hugely talented writer/performer, and I loved both Bully and Smiler; word on the street is that this is his best so far, so it's a must-see for me.
Link
Scaramouche Jones
"11pm Millennium Eve. Ancient clown, Scaramouche, gives his final performance, charting a bizarre odyssey through comic misadventures and the century's darkest episodes revealing the loves, brutalities, ecstasies & tragedies beneath his seven white masks."
One of the best shows I've ever seen; you can read my ATG review here. This is definitely one worth seeing.
Link
The Half
"The Actor has sold his car, his father's gold watch and cashed in his life savings to do this show. Everything is riding on it. It's 35 minutes before curtain up to his first performance: Hamlet... solo... uncut… and he's starting to unravel"
It comes down to this: Guy Masterson is one of the best stage actors I've ever seen; ergo, I'll go to pretty much anything he does.
Link
Matthew Carey
Some of the best musicals/cabaret shows I've seen over the last few years have featured this gentleman's magic fingers on the keyboards - A Company of Strangers, the aforementioned Le Gateau Chocolat, Wicked and a whole bunch more.
As usual, he's got those magic fingers in quite a few pies, and they're all going on the list.
LoveBirds
"Direct from their world-premiere at Melbourne International Arts Festival, The LoveBirds will emerge from the foliage of their alluring, colour-speckled underworld, to share provocative, heart-warming tales of wandering souls pining for love. Together, these exquisite voices form a new breed of exotic cabaret. Fall head-over-heels-in-love with these rare, illusive creatures."
Link
Gady Lala – songs for the sophisticated fag hag
"Libby O'Donovan, Catherine Campbell and Sidonie Henbest are three women who know a thing or two about fags, hags & dubious shags. A raucous celebration of the songs that make everyone sing out loud and proud and dance around a sequined handbag… in a sophisticated way of course!"
Link
An Unexpected Variety Show
"Comedian Jenny Wynter fuses stand-up, storytelling, song, improv and character comedy in this unique variety show about the unexpected twists in life, from dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, to finding oneself in the mountains of Canada, to having one's wedding disrupted by an 80-year-old man wearing nothing but a pair of speedos."
Link
What is this Thing Called Love
"Award-winning company, SINGular Productions presents a musical portrait of American composer Cole Porter, filled with his unforgettable songs. In the show, we look back on his life as if it was one of his spectacular stage shows. With numbers and popular hits like "Anything Goes," "It's De-Lovely," and "Night and Day," Porter's elegant, excessive life comes to light - including his deeply complicated relationship with his wife and muse, Linda Lee Porter."
Link
Hot Chillie Box
"The most remembered, celebrated, loved and adored TV show themes to be put together this side of Ramsey Street. Throw in a game show and a few commercial breaks - and get ready to be part of our virtual live studio audience! (Now that's what we're talking 'bout, Willis!)"
Link
La Soiree
"Sexy, funny, dangerous... The award-winning international variety sensation is back. All your favourites and much more – 8 shows only!"
I didn't see La Clique, but I heard good things about it; La Soirée comes courtesy of the same people, and include one of my favourite performers of the last few years, Le Gateau Chocolat. And there's also the very talented Camille O'Sullivan, who I saw I few Fringes back.
Link
Sammy J & Randy in The Inheritance
"Ancient parchments! Royal scandals! Flimsy props! When Randy discovers a family fortune, he seeks to reclaim his rightful throne. Will Sammy J stand in his way? Probably."
Absolutely loved these guys last year; I laughed myself silly. Semi-improv musical comedy at its best.
Link
The Jane Austen Argument
Winners of the 2010 Fringe award for cabaret and directors the show that won the same award in 2011, Tom Dickins and Jen Kingwell are back in Adelaide having supported The Dresden Dolls on their recent Australian tour and have a new show, Under the Rainbow, and will be launching their new album as well. Definitely worth seeing.
Link
Sound & Fury
"Three-time Adelaide 'People's Choice' winners Sound & Fury present the parody mash-up of 'Doctor Faustus,' and every Western film ever made."
The wacky comedy trio are back with a new show, Doc Faustus; they done great shows in the past, including Spaceship Man in 2011, and one of the funniest shows I've ever seen, Private Dick in 2010.
Link
Live on Air with Poet Laureate Telia Nevile
"Stuck in suburbia with too much to say, Poet Laureate Telia Nevile is doing the only thing left open to a word-obsessed socially-inept artiste. She's broadcasting a radio show from her bedroom and you're invited over to pump up the volume."
Telia's show 2011 Fringe show (my review here) was clever, quirky and funny, and I suspect her new one will be of a similar high standard.
Link
DeAnne Smith
"Life's great when you're rich. DeAnne pays strangers to remove her body hair! This 2011 Barry Award Nominee's doing waaaay better than 1.7 billion people in poverty. (This show includes ukulele tunes and free candy.)"
One of the best standups I've seen. Read my review from last year here.
Link
Barry Morgan's World of Organs
"Adelaide's own Barry Morgan, the ultimate organ salesman, will delight and entertain you as he demonstrates the amazing features of the Hammond Aurora Classic. Sit back, relax and be swept away by the mesmerising power of Barry's Zither Arpeggiator, his Fascinating Fingers and his celebrated One Finger Method."
I didn't get around to seeing Barry Morgan last Fringe, but I've seen him a couple of times on Spicks & Specks, and he's hilarious.
Link
Mager & Smythe: In Search of Atlantis
"The AWARD WINNING action-adventure comedy musical about two hapless explorers, who go on a journey into the unknown to find the sunken city of Atlantis."
I reviewed this show when it was here in 2010; you can read about it here.
Link
The Year of Magical Wanking
"Neil Watkins has wanked more than is healthy, allegedly. One of Ireland's most exciting artists and incendiary performers, Neil is a force of nature, a maverick, a 33-year old homosexual with a Jesus complex. Nominated for Best Performer and Best New Play, Dublin Fringe 2011."
Adelaide ex-pat Daniel Clarke, the man behind the 2010 Fringe production of My Name is Rachel Corrie (my review here; it won Hannah Norris best actor at that year's ATG awards) returns with a new show.
Link
New Coat Of Paint: The Songs Of Tom Waits
"An intoxicating journey through the songs of blues legend Tom Waits. Intimate, sexy, funny and thoughtful 'New Coat of Paint' showcases the talents of Alison Coppe and Aaron Nash, backed by some of Adelaide's finest musicians. Expect jazz, blues and in true Waits fashion, women and booze."
Aaron Nash provided the music for the 2011 production of The Pillowman I stage managed (and wrote about here), so I know first-hand that he knows what he's doing. Plus it's the music of Tom Waits, which is a huge drawcard.
Link
Things that sound interesting
Drowning in Veronica Lake
"Brilliant and beautiful, in 1942 Veronica Lake was the hottest discovery in Hollywood. Now, forty years after her death, trapped somewhere between Paramount and Purgatory, she battles her lust for stardom, booze, the wrong men and her spectacular decline into obscurity. "A Stunning Performance" Dominion Post, Wellington NZ."
Link
Jane Austen is Dead
"You're searching for Mr Darcy but the only men at the pub seem to be Mr Wickham, or even worse... Mr Collins! Has Jane Austen been misleading us? Is it possible to find love in today's world of texting, facebook and drunken sex in disabled toilets?"
Link
Friends in the business
I know a few people doing shows this Fringe, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to give them a plug.
Fät Wânk
"Some people think art is a load of wank. Other people think a load of wank is art. Our protagonist believes art could be the answer as he heads on an absurd exploration of life through religion, drugs, love and office work to discover if it's just a Fät Wânk."
Link
Amouse-Bouche
"From the team that brought you the TalkFringe Top Ten Audience Favourite 2011 comes Gluttony's Tonight Show. Gorge on the best of the Fest. From comedy to cabaret, interviews and previews, with new guests each night, games and giveaways. It's got all you need to fill your Fringe appetite."
Link
An Anarchist at the Demo
"Featuring the work of Australian playwright Van Badham, this show presents two of her shorter plays, 'An Anarchist at Dinner' and 'We Met at the Demo', in an unprecedented double bill packed with black humour, pithy commentary on modern Australian society and unexpected plot twists!"
Link
Status Update: A Guide To Early 21st C Life Inc, But Not Limited To, Globalisation/GFC, Social Networking, Compassion Fatigue, Sexting And Angry Birds
"Life today is challenging. We face all the old problems ... as well as a bunch of new ones. Kylie struggles to manage time, find truelove, master her new iPhone & find the eggs without cheating. You'll see a bit of yourself & a lot of your singleslightlycrazyBFF."
Link
Neil Simon's The Odd Couple
"As written by award winning playwright Neil Simon, this hilarious comedy surrounds the mismatched friendship of two young men trying to share an apartment. However their lifestyles, and ideas of housekeeping, are as different as night and day."
Link
At the Movie with Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
"See your favorite blockbuster hits as you've never seen them before! This rom-com, action and slapstick burlesque show bursts onto the stage with singing, dancing and teasing by premier burlesque artists Luna Eclipse, Sapphire Snow, The Strawberry Siren and special guests. Movies will never be the same!"
Link
The Fiddle and the Drum - the music of Joni Mitchell
"Exquisite lyricist and breathtaking songwriter, Joni Mitchell has been an inspirational force among four decades of musicians, songwriters and singers. By popular demand, Kathie Renner and Melissa McCaig re-create their tribute to Joni, accompanied by a band of Adelaide’s most soulful and sensitive musical minds"
Link
Further information
Read about my adventures in Fringes past in these posts - one, two, three, four, five and six.
I'll be trying to make regular updates here on the blog, but it'll depend on how busy I am. Proper reviews will appear on the ATG website – you can also follow the ATG on Twitter to get frequent updates on when reviews are posted. I'll no doubt be tweeting regularly, so feel free to follow me if you don't already. The Twitter hashtag for the Fringe is #adlfringe.
The Fringe ticketing website – where you can search for show information as well as buy tickets – is here. Also check out TalkFringe, which is where people post their own short reviews of shows, with ratings – and, since the ratings are aggregated, there's always a list of the most popular shows, which is handy if you aren't sure what to see.
And of course you can contact me at jamiewriteswords@gmail.com and ask me any questions you like.
Hope to see you out and about during Adelaide's fantastic festival season!
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