Matt Tarrant and Vinh Giang in “Deception”
The best thing about the Adelaide Fringe is that it covers every genre imaginable and, while many of us may lean toward comedy, those who just stick with the laughs miss out on some of the most amazing and memorable experiences – which usually include more than enough laughs too, while leaving you with something far more memorable.
Take the locally written play A Solitary Choice, for example. It’s a poignant comedy that’s been touring Australia and the world for 4 years now, and it’s finally back on the Adelaide stage, still starring one of our most subtle local actors, Tamara Lee. There’s only a couple performances but you won’t regret seeing this extraordinary production of a wife and mother who must make a difficult decision where there is no right answer.
The multi award-winning Bitch Boxer is the story of 21 year old Chloe who happens to not only like the simple things in life: cherry sambuca, hairbrush-in-the-mirror karaoke and winding her dad up, but she’s also training for the London, 2012 Olympics as a boxer. Amongst other awards, this play won the Holden Street Theatres’ Edinburgh Award 2013. It’s an annual award which results in the venue sponsoring the play to come to the Adelaide Fringe the following year. I can’t recall a poor choice yet, so expect to see this play making headlines.
The outrageously named Outback Homosexual Serial Killer is a one-man multi-platform performance that sounds both quirky and interesting. Described as a “hybrid arts road trip theatre show”, it uses sonic landscapes, cinematic projections and live performance to tell the story of Devon Baxter, a ruined suburban bank teller who sets out on a rage, drug and sex-fuelled road trip from Adelaide to Darwin and enters an imagined world of homicidal maniacs and drag queens. If you’re looking for something different, this could be it!
Of course, if you want your mind blown, you might also like to consider MindBlown’s cabaret magic show, Deception. Featuring local, award-winning magicians Matt Tarrant and Vinh Giang, they will have ‘no cards up their sleeves’ as they predict the future, read and trick people’s minds and then reveal exactly how they did it, while still leaving their audiences stunned. Sounds awesome!
In another unexpected reveal, controversy abounds in The Sheds, a fly-on-the-wall adventure in an AFL locker room where a star player makes a startling announcement. This ground-breaking Australian production examines the underlying tensions between mateship and masculinity in Australian sport. Rife with foul language, violence, secrets and nudity, it’s definitely not one for the kids but should get the adults talking.
Also tackling societal norms, but with a more family-friendly focus, is the G-Rated Square Peg, an account of a person who sees life as it is. The story illustrates that people are responsible for what they choose to do and what they do affects their lives and the lives of others. It promises to be quirky, touching, energising and real, featuring yet another multi award-winning cast and lots of drama, live music and comedy.
Rod Lewis
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