Fringe benefits

WORDS HEATHER MILLAR

At the height of summer, if you wander through the Adelaide parklands late at night, you might stumble across a village of sparkling lights and colourful big top tents filled with music and laughter, theatrics and visual arts – and it may seem like the carnie has come to town. This is the Garden of Unearthly Delights, part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
For three weeks each year, Adelaide vibrates with an exhilarating buzz as around 600 events take place at 150 venues across Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills. Some of the best and most innovative music, theatre, dance, circus, spoken word, poetry, comedy, physical theatre, film and video, cross art form, new media and visual arts are presented by independent artists from Australia and overseas.

The Fringe began in 1960 as an alternative to the mainstream Adelaide Festival of Arts program, and it has since grown to become one of South Australia’s most loved events.

This year’s Fringe runs from 22 February to 16 March, with director Christie Anthoney at the helm. Anthoney is a local girl who has worked at the Fringe since she left school, as well as stints at the Edinburgh Fringe and in The Famous Spiegeltent (a travelling dance hall, bar and entertainment salon).

FROM TOP: Lose yourself in the Garden of Unearthly Delights; bear witness to Empress Stah’s fetish freak show OPPOSITE FROM TOP: Frank Woodley’s Possessed; baby-faced newcomer Josh Thomas.

She flags this year’s highlight as a visit to the Fringe Factory Theatre, known more commonly to locals as the Balfours Pie Factory.

“People should take a dive into a venue they’re not familiar with. With the Pie Factory being turned into apartments next year, people should take the opportunity to visit the venues housed in it, such as The Fridge, The Pastry Bakery Theatre, or the Crumpet Theatre. There’ll be some visual arts installations as well.”

Anthoney also recommends The Garden of Unearthly Delights “of course”, and the numerous venues housed there, such as The Bosco Theatre, which is an antique European performing tent, hosting an array of musicians, comedians and cabaret stars.

Close to a million tickets are sold to events at the Fringe and more than 4,000 artists from all over the world participate, making it one of the largest Fringe Festivals in the world – second only to the Edinburgh Fringe.

At other festivals, the artistic directors choose the performers, but at the Fringe, it’s open invitation for any artist who wants to put on a show. says Anthoney.

Performers at this year’s Fringe include Empress Stah from the UK, a “trapeze and neo-Burlesque fetish freak and twisted cabaret artist” as she bills herself; Melbourne Comedy Festival best newcomer Josh Thomas; and the
usual big name suspects such as Rove, Jimeoin and Frank Woodley.

“Use the Fringe website, or go to www.talkfringe.com, which is the voice of the people. If a show is good, people will let you know there. Or read the press for reviews.

“But my best advice is that when you get the Fringe Guide, buy your tickets fast because if you’ve got a vibe about something, chances are others have too. The big names always sell fast, so get in quick.”

A man possessed

Comedian Frank Woodley, formerly of Lano and Woodley, is appearing at the Adelaide Fringe in his solo show, Possessed.

What can we expect from your show at the Adelaide Fringe?
The show is a romantic comedy about a man who falls in love with a ghost, who possesses him. It’s a very physical show, lots of stunts and visual antics. I’m rehearsing it at the moment, and nursing a crick in my neck from falling down stairs – that stunt won’t be repeated every night! Kate Denborough is directing. I’d seen her beautiful and awe-inspiring theatrical shows with Kage Physical Theatre – and I’m really happy with the way we’re working together on Possessed.

I hear electronic music guru Paul Mac is doing the music?
Yes, and as we rehearse, I’m finding his music is lifting the gags to a whole new level of emotional intensity.

When did you and Lano ‘split up’ and why?
We’d been together for 20 years – imagine being stuck in a car with your best friend for 20 years, then sitting down in a room together and trying to write comedy. Seriously though, we loved doing Lano and Woodley so much, we didn’t want it to become stale, so we thought we’d go out on a high note. And our last year together was probably our best. We did our last show in November 2006.

What do you like about the Adelaide Fringe?
We’ve been going to the Fringe for years – we’ve done 11 shows there. I think that’s more than anyone, except for maybe Greg Fleet. Adelaide turns into a party town, and the atmosphere is great – everyone’s out and about. The thing that makes it special is that anyone with a crazy idea and some self-belief can perform, so you get these inspired, experimental shows. Plus we always seem to get a great turn-out in Adelaide.

For tickets call 1300 FRINGE (374 643) within Australia.

Late-night snacks

La Boheme
36 Grote St, Adelaide, tel: +61 (8) 8212 8884 Intimate Parisian-style cabaret bar/lounge, with a turn-of-the-century Europe meets the 21st century feel.

Wheatsheaf Hotel
39 George St, Thebarton, tel: +61 (8) 8443 4546 Quality microbrews, distinctive whiskeys, good coffee, eclectic original live music.

Electric Light Hotel
235 Grenfell St, Adelaide, tel: +61 (8) 8232 2666 Historic hotel refurnished to feature a plush, French provincial cocktail lounge, relaxed front bar, huge outdoor garden and The Producers Bar.

Rhino Room
13 Frome St, Adelaide, tel: +61 (8) 8227 1611 Rhino Room is what your lounge room would be like with 100 friends over and a band or comedian performing.

Dragonfly Bar + Dining
193 Victoria Square, Adelaide, tel: +61 (8) 8212 5661 Dragonfly offers fine food, great wine, beers and cocktails, plus exhibition space for both performing and visual arts.

Higher Ground Inc.
5-19 Light Square, Adelaide, tel: +61 (8) 8232 2570 A multi-arts venue with bar, café and visual arts gallery.

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