Ahhhh… It’s that time of year again. Can you smell it? Can you feel it? It’s June in Adelaide and it can only mean one thing: CABARET!
Ali McGregor and Eddie Perfect – co-artistic directors of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Image by Claude Raschella
This is the 16th time Adelaide’s winter festival has graced the Adelaide Festival Centre. 2016 ushers in new co-artistic directors, Ali McGregor and Eddie Perfect who, along with the hard-working CabFest staff, have created an eclectic feast of all things cabaret.
McGregor and Perfect are no strangers to the festival, having performed multiple times over the years – their unique style has a “something for everyone” flavour, so grab your granny, your neighbour or your fabulous friends and make the most of this fantastic festival.
Here’s a few tips to make the most of the your Adelaide Cabaret Festival experience in 2016:
Huddle around the fire in the Wintergarden with a good red and some yummy grub. Fingers crossed Poh has her paella bubbling away at JAMFACE by Poh because that’s a must-try!
Stay past your bedtime and squish in with half of Adelaide to witness the madcap craziness of the Backstage Club. You never know who will be performing but you know it will always be unique… the artists let their hair down and anything can happen. Our guess is the middle weekend in particular, with Jan van de Stool hosting (of Australia’s Got Talent fame, aka Queenie van de Zandt) will sell out early… and all bets will definitely be off!
Pick a show you know nothing about… you’ll either love it or hate it, but at least you’ll have a story to tell! Some of the best shows in the Festival have been surprises; tiny little shows in the artspace or the bowels of the theatre rehearsal rooms… they may not have the clout of the headliners but often they have plenty of heart and talent to make up for it. Plus you can then say you knew them before they were famous.
Share a table with strangers. There’s no such thing as stranger danger at the CabFest. Seating is in short supply in the Wintergarden, so why not join another group and strike up a conversation about what you’ve seen or are going to see? It’s a great way to get the inside goss on the good shows and to share in the excitement and fabulousness of the festival.
Find your magical moment. Keep your eyes peeled because the artists in this festival are all working within a couple of hundred metres of each other and collaborations, testing new work and generally revelling in their artform is par for the course. Whether it’s unique performance combos (think an OG Supreme, with an Elpheba, with a pop Diva singing ‘Stop in the Name of Love’ after a few champagnes) or encounters on the sidewalk, it’s the magical unique moments of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival that sustains you through the following 12 months waiting for the next one.
Hayley was an arts worker in South Australia for twelve years working freelance for small to medium clients as well as for companies such as the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Theatre Company SA, Urban Myth Theatre of Youth and the Australia Business Arts Foundation. As part of her freelance work, Hayley founded the ATG Curtain Call Awards (which is now an annual gala event), co-produced three 24 Hour Show charity fundraiser events, has judged for the Adelaide Fringe Festival and reviewed for Aussie Theatre and the Adelaide Theatre Guide.
Hayley now runs a boutique events and arts management business, Footlight Events and in her spare time, is involved with Adelaide’s amateur theatre community as a producer, performer and director.