Presented by Anna Thomas Productions
Reviewed 16 February 2020
Take a seat at the classy bar of Treasury 1860 and enjoy the most theatrical and emotional wine tasting you’ll ever experience with this impressive one-woman, wine-focused show.
When walking into the upper-class elegance of the classic bar of Treasury 1860, with expensive bottles of both local and foreign beverages lining the bars shelves, it’s hard not to think that this is the perfect location for a lesson in “drinking wine like a wanker”. As a guest you’ll be offered a flight of South Australian wines for an additional cost and to this you must say YES. This carefully selected wine flight by our host for the night, Anna Thomas, is a key pillar for the narrative and the full-effect of the show won’t be felt without sipping delicious local wine for the hour.
With full-bodied character, performer Thomas shares with the audience a story full of laugh-out-loud humour, jaw-dropping emotional events and of course, bottles of various wines. Her journey from embarrassing wine novice to full-blown wine wanker is a fascinating one. It delves into more serious subjects like the still un-equal treatment of women in the workplace and the scrutiny pregnant career-women face, alongside an understanding of who you are and if what you’re doing actually makes you happy.
With each wine tasting (there are 6), not only are you introduced to delicious local wines you might not already know about, but you also discover how this style of wine played a significant role in Anna’s life as she made huge life changes, scary long-term decisions and found her footing in an area she felt truly passionate about; wine. The under-rated Grenache felt like the beverage version of herself: under-valued while being the backbone of many great blends, while the fun, fruity and lighter Fiano represented her humorous journey as a wine tour guide who knew almost nothing about wine! Thomas also enjoyably mocks the wanky, pomp-and-ceremony language we come to expect when reading about wine or being explained a style of wine at a cellar door.
This is How to Drink Wine Like a Wanker’s second run at the Adelaide Fringe after it’s previous debut saw sell-out success both in Adelaide and at the Edinburgh Fringe – not bad for Anna Thomas’s first time writing, producing and performing solo! Despite being rather a newby in the arts world, she is enjoying the many sides of creating, producing and performing and has also co-produced a number of other shows in 2020.
A show that is part performance, part story telling, part stand-up comedy and part wine tasting, How to Drink Wine Like a Wanker is an exciting, emotional and flavourful drop, leaving the audience with a delightful taste on the palette.
Reviewed by Georgina Smerd
Twitter: @Georgie_xox
Rating out of 5: 4 Cheers!
Venue: Bar at Treasury 1860,144 King William St, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Season: 16 February – 15 March 2020
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $19.50 – $25
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/how-to-drink-wine-like-a-wanker-af2020
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