Adelaide will play host to over 6000 artists, 300 venues and more than 1200 shows in the space of just a month. With stats like that, it's no wonder Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in Australia and the largest Fringe outside of Edinburgh. With more shows than last year across a multitude of genres including comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, music, light - where does one begin? Start planning and explore our ultimate guide to Fringe 2023.
1. SILENCE!
An Adelaide Fringe exclusive, SILENCE! is a festival event unlike anything seen before in Australia. Marvel in the five-hour spectacle of percussion, pyrotechnics and fireworks that emulates the silence before the storm. Premiering for the opening weekend of the festival only, don't miss musicians dressed in metal moving forward among a blinding light, in a performance that will truly take your breath away.
2. Electric Skies
For two unforgettable nights, watch as the skies above Pakapakanthi (Victoria Park) come alive with an electrifying drone show, Electric Skies. Mixing music and light, witness the night sky light up alongside an exclusive soundtrack woven with First Nations language and traditional songs. A multi-sensory spectacle unlike any other this Fringe season and suitable for all ages, don't miss this magical show.
3. Reuben Kaye Live and Intimidating
The obscenely intelligent and brutally funny Rueben Kaye returns to the Adelaide Fringe taking to the stage his intimate, stripped back new show - Live and Intimidating. Join the multi-award winning comedy and cabaret sensation for an explosive evening of camp and filthy humour through song, comedy and piano. The vanguard is giving the fans what they want with the return of their salacious late night offering The Kaye Hole, which is a wickedly hilarious option for a Fringe date night.
4. Diana Nguyen - Going All In
Performing since 2016, stand-up comedian Diana Nguyen has toured all over Australia, Edinburgh Fringe and USA. Bringing her commanding stage presence and infectious effervescence to the Adelaide Fringe stage, catch Nguyen at the world premier of her show - Going All In. Sharing the failures of being in fight and flight mode and where it leads her, Nguyen is a seasoned comedian performing with such radical vulnerability it'll have you laughing, crying, and laughing again.
5. The BABz World Tour
Category is: A Show Like No Other. Watch as Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under royalty Kween Kong, Hannah Conda and season two winner Spankie Jackzon hit the stage for their debut tour. Serving looks, comedy and insider tea, drag fans can expect a night of high energy laughs and searing humour thanks to our favourite new girl group - The BABz.
6. Ross Noble - Jibber Jabber Jamboree
Critically acclaimed British stand-up comedian Ross Noble is back with their 21st solo stand-up tour - Jibber Jabber Jamboree. Ross has carved out his own genre of stand-up comedy, with his success as a comedian earning him an enviable reputation and loyal fan-base. Merciless in the attention he gives the audience, no two shows are the same as Ross' perception of the audience's response fuels his material. Celebrate this milestone and the chance to see Noble live on stage in his natural habitat by securing your tickets.
7. Penny Arcade: THE ART OF BECOMING EPISODE 3: SUPERSTAR INTERRUPTED
Rebel with a cause Penny Arcade is bringing her show Superstar Interrupted to the Fringe stage. Arcade is a living cultural icon, having debuted on-stage at just 18 in New York in a glitter, glam and rock charged political performance, before starring in 'Women In Revolt' - an eclectic take on the Women's Liberation Movement that was produced by none other than Andy Warhol. Since this seminal film appearance, Arcade has gone on to pen more than 16 plays and performed hundreds of solo pieces, making her a seasoned veteran of the arts scene. Arcade's Superstar Interrupted sees her return to the experimental, rock and roll performance genre that she helped pioneer in the 1980s. This is a renaissance experience for any fans of pop culture, rock and roll or true theatrical experimentation.
8. Paul McDermott
Paul McDermott has been at the forefront of the Australian entertainment industry since the success of musical comedy group Doug Anthony All Stars in the 1980's. For McDermott, after 40 years in the entertainment industry, performing to an audience is the thing he knows how to do best. Back with the third installment of Paul McDermott Plus One, you can expect both a structured yet chaotic show, featuring glorious life affirming music paired with disconcerting and dubious comedy.
9. Judith Lucy - Turns Out, I'm Fine: In Conversion
Judith Lucy is apparently fine. As one of Australia's most famous comedians, Lucy is known for her dry delivery, sharp observations and hugely devoted following. After announcing she was standing down from stand-up comedy at the end of 2022, this could be one of your last chances to join the award-winning comedian in conversion, as she discusses her candid book 'Turns Out, I'm Fine'. For two nights only, sit down with Lucy as she discusses heartache, dealing with death and existential angst and turning out to be… fine.
10. Velvet Rewired
Join Aussie music royalty Marcia Hines, plus a dazzling array of international performers, in a fusion of flawless glamour, glitz and jaw-dropping circus skills! With a winning mix of disco, dance and circus, the new world of Velvet Rewired explores themes of dreams, life and fulfillment. Put on your boogie shoes and join Hines for a night of death-defying acrobatics, naughty costumes and comedy.
Got a taste for festivity?
The frivolity doesn't have to stop in March. South Australia is home to world-class events and festivals year-round, including Tasting Australia. Check out our live South Australian Festivals and Events Calendar to discover more.
