Adelaide Festival

Maureen: Harbinger of Death (read review): Co-writer and performer Jonny Hawkins transforms into Maureen, “a razor-tongued doyenne of Kings Cross in its heyday”, in this solo show which is described by its creators as a mix of fact and fiction inspired by Hawkins’ relationship with a dear friend. Presented in a lush set framed by velvet drapes, it is, says our reviewer, “a beautiful ode to storytelling and to the complexity of older women”. – Space Theatre, until March 18

Revisor (read review): Presented by Canadian company Kidd Pivot – which also brought the internationally acclaimed Betroffenheit to the 2017 Adelaide Festival – Revisor is a hybrid of contemporary dance and theatre that takes inspiration from Russian writer Nikolai Gogol’s farcical play The Government Inspector. With celebrated choreographer Crystal Pite and theatre-maker Jonathon Young at the helm, it sees eight Kidd Pivot dancers embody recorded dialogue exploring “conflict, comedy and corruption”. – Her Majesty’s Theatre, March 17-19

Fantastical Journeys: US-based violinist Jennifer Koh joins the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for this Adelaide exclusive concert on Saturday, ahead of her sold-out solo show at UKARIA on Sunday. Fantastical Journeys includes the Australian premiere of a violin concerto, Procession, by New York composer Missy Mazzoli (whose opera Breaking the Waves was part of the 2020 Festival), as well as works by Sibelius and Rimsky-Korsakov. ­– Adelaide Town Hall, March 18

Tracker (read review): Australian Dance Theatre’s Tracker is a powerful evocation of the life of artistic director Daniel Riley’s great-great uncle, Alec “Tracker” Riley, through an ambitious blend of contemporary dance, theatre, and ceremony. The story is a deeply personal one for Riley, who has collaborated with team of celebrated First Nations creatives to bring it to life. – Odeon Theatre, until March 18

Air Play (read review): One of the Adelaide Festival’s all-ages offerings, Air Play is a “homage to the power of air” by mime duo Seth Bloom (former juggler and clown-school graduate) and Christina Gelsone (former ballerina turned clown) that blends comedy, sculpture, theatre and circus. Featuring props such as soaring fabrics, balloons of all sizes, umbrellas and more, it is performed with both balletic grace and a sense of fun that proves infectious for those in the audience. – Festival Theatre, until March 19

Two Adelaide Festival exhibitions – A river that flows both ways, at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental; and James Newitt’s Haven and Emily Wardill’s Night For Day, presented by Samstag Museum on the north-eastern concourse at Adelaide Railway Station (read review) – also come to a close this weekend.

Adelaide Fringe     

Watson: The Final Problem (read review): Are the rumours of Sherlock Holmes’ demise true? Has he met his end at the hands of his arch nemesis? All is revealed in this gripping solo stage show starring British actor Tim Marriott. ★★★★★ – Ayres House until March 18.

Musical duo The Coconuts.

The Coconuts (read review): Sweet-faced and sharp-tongued, The Coconuts present Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside – a lively blend of storytelling, stand-up, songs and slideshows. What gets this Adelaide duo their biggest laughs is their knack for flipping without warning from sweet-natured charm to foul-mouthed humour. ★★★★ – The Bally, Gluttony, until March 19.

Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me (read review): In an empty house a young man is waiting to celebrate Mother’s Day, but the more he describes her – and their religious devotions and special bonds – the more uncertain his rapture becomes. Young actor Jack Stokes delivers a spellbinding hour of theatre. ★★★★★  – The Studio, Holden Street Theatres, until March 19.

Oat Milk & Honey (read review): SA company Mo-Ko Piano & Circus appear to have uncovered a new, compelling form of storytelling with Oat Milk & Honey, which offers a unique and stunning expression of one of the most common mental illnesses in Australia. ★★★★★ – The Ukiyo, Gluttony, until March 19.

Creepy Boys (read review): Blisteringly anarchic and devilishly clever, Creepy Boys would like you to attend a birthday party for some very horny twin teenage brothers in a yurt. This is a new offering from Canadian queer theatre company Scantily Glad Theatre, the team behind 2021 Adelaide Fringe best-theatre-award-winning show Something in the Water. ★★★★★ – The Yurt at the Migration Museum until March 19.

Creepy Boys serves up an hour of metatheatrical anarchy. Photo: Dan Norman Photography

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare – Romeo & Juliet (read review): What happens when you give a Shakespearean cast liquid courage? The result is a little bit naughty, but surprisingly wholesome. ★★★★★ ­– The Roundhouse, Garden of Unearthly Delights, until March 19.

Reclaiming Harry (read review): Unabashedly joyful, Reclaiming Harry fights to reclaim the multi-million-dollar franchise for those who love it most – the fans. Don’t forget your wand. ★★★★ – The Bally, Gluttony, until March 19.

The Umbilical Brothers: The Distraction (read review): The ever-energetic Umbilical Brothers keep the laughs coming as they return to the Fringe with their daftly hilarious, award-winning mash-up of live performance, real time footage and green-screen-trickery. ★★★★ ½ – The Vagabond, Garden of Unearthly Delights, until March 19.

 Read all InReview’s 2023 Adelaide Fringe reviews here.

 See all our 2023 Adelaide Festival reviews here.