Adelaide French Festival

A selection of French-inspired music, theatre, dance, visual arts and food/wine events are planned for this weekend’s three-day Adelaide French Festival at the Festival Centre. The festival will focus on the northern France region of Brittany, with highlights including Breton fashion designer Pascal Jaouen’s embroidery collections; L’Après-Midi D’un Foehn, which sees plastic bags “brought to life by a mysterious ballet master”; contemporary dance work Mon Chi Chi by duo Wang Ramirez, and Sonic Seasoning – a gastronomic music performance featuring Adelaide’s Zephyr Quartet and The Smelly Cheese Shop (read more here). Music festival So Frenchy So Chic will take place at Pinky Flat tonight, with an all-female line-up including Parisian pop powerhouse Camille (read her interview with InDaily here), girl band Yelle, and solo pop artists Clara Luciani and Cléa Vincent. 

Madiba the Musical

Perci Moeketsi stars as Nelson Mandela in Madiba the Musical.

Created by French composer Jean-Pierre Hadida and produced by Australian Neil Croker, Madiba the Musical tells the story of former South African leader Nelson Mandela’s fight for peace and reconciliation. The musical was timed to mark 25 years since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. Actor Perci Moeketsi, who plays Mandela, describes the production as a “beautiful summing up of what makes Mandela, Mandela” in this InDaily story. Performances begin on Thursday and run until January 20.

Florence + The Machine

Florence + The Machine will perform at Botanic Park on Wednesday. Photo: imageSPACE

English indie rock band Florence + the Machine will head to Botanic Park on Wednesday for the Adelaide leg of their “High As Hope” tour. The band will play fan favourites, including recent hit Hunger, as well as a selection of debut songs. American soul singer Leon Bridges and New Zealand guitarist and singer-songwriter Marlon Williams will also perform as special guests. Last time we checked, tickets were still available.

#UsTwo

Gretel Killeen will perform with Glynn Nicholas at Holden Street Theatres.

Author, television personality and comedian Gretel Killeen will join actor and comedy producer Glynn Nicholas at Holden Street Theatres for #UsTwo – a “his and her” comedy show that compares the male and female versions of life. Expect to hear about the kiss that nearly killed Killeen to Nicholas’ tango skills and his failure to practice guitar. Shows start on Saturday and run through to January 20.

Unley Gourmet Gala

King William Street will host a street party on Thursday to celebrate the Unley to Campbelltown leg of Tour Down Under. The event will feature more than 30 pop-up food and wine stalls, fashion parades, cooking demonstrations and craft activities. Live music from local acts Ollie English, Erin McKellar and Marcus Ryan will join DJs and roving performers to entertain crowds. The gala has also partnered with the Australian Migrant Resource Centre to present a “World Music Stage” featuring performers hailing from across the globe. The event will kick off from 5pm.

North by Northwest

Matt Day (centre) as Roger Thornhill. Photo: Jeff Busby

This stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 film North by Northwest, showing at the Festival Theatre until January 20, is described by lead actor Matt Day in this InDaily story as “a gripping thriller” that’s full of non-stop action from beginning to end. Day plays dapper New York advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill, who is chased across America after being mistaken for a government agent, while Amber McMahon is femme fatale Eve Kendall. North by Northwest will play until January 20