What’s on: Cracker Christmas shows, flicks and gigs

Events over the weekend and week ahead, including Christmas Proms, sassy cabaret-acrobatic show Club Swizzle, the Kransky Sisters, outdoor movies, and gigs by Thirsty Merc, British India and The Original Wailers.

Dec 05, 2017, updated Dec 18, 2017

Photo: Jeffrey Feng Photography

Club Swizzle – Space Theatre

Promising “aerial artistry, thigh-slapping tunes and unbridled hilarity”, the colourful cabaret-acrobatic show Club Swizzle has returned to the Adelaide Festival Centre for a season of almost nightly shows that will continue through to New Year’s Eve. This year’s host is cabaret performer Reuben Kaye (winner of the best cabaret show award at the 2017 Adelaide Fringe), and you can take a look at what’s in store here.

Thirsty Merc – Norwood Hotel / Fowler’s Live

Celebrating 15 years since the release of their debut EP First Work, Australian band Thirsty Merc are touring the country performing music from throughout their career, as well as songs they say fans won’t have heard them play live before. The Take Me Back Tour will touch down at the Norwood Hotel tonight (Friday) and Fowler’s Live on Saturday night.

Christmas Proms – Her Majesty’s Theatre

Photo: Kelly Carpenter

A World of Christmas is the theme of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s 2017 Christmas Proms, which features Adelaide a cappella ensemble The Idea of North (joined by vocal percussionist Kaichiro Kitamura), Tutti Choir, the On Stage Children’s Choir, and the orchestra under the baton of conductor Benjamin Northey. The program will celebrate Christmas all around the world, with matinee and evening performances at Her Majesty’s Theatre today and tomorrow.

Moonlight Cinema – Botanic Park

There will be an advance screening of new family film Paddington 2 (see review here) at the Moonlight Cinema in Botanic Park on Saturday night, with other screenings over the weekend and week ahead including MA15+ thriller The Snowman, superhero flick Justice League, perennial Christmas favourite Love Actually, and new films Downsizing (reviewed here) and Coco. Gates open at 7pm and films begin at sundown. Moonlight Cinema runs until February 18; full program here.

A Very Kransky Christmas – Dunstan Playhouse

The quirky Kransky Sisters are back for another cracker Christmas at the Adelaide Festival Centre with a musical-comedy show that blends tales of their dysfunctional family life with unusual versions of songs ranging from Christmas carols to hits from artists as varied as Enya and Daft Punk – played on instruments including cheese graters and toilet brushes. There will be three shows at the Dunstan Playhouse tonight (Friday) and tomorrow.

Swan Lake Remixed – Veale Gardens

Emma Knights Productions and Impact Entertainment are presenting a modernised, one-hour version of Swan Lake featuring a remixed score created by Samara Gill and Emma Knights. Swan Lake Remixed is described as a free, kid-friendly “immersive outdoor dance experience”, with performances at 6pm tonight and 5pm tomorrow at Veale Gardens, plus food trucks and stalls.

A Very Potter Christmas – Bakehouse Theatre

“An unofficial, untold Christmas story, straight from the snow-dusted Potterverse.” Presented by Adelaide improv comedy group Scriptease (you might have seen their Fringe show UnPlotted Potter), A Very Potter Christmas is being presented at the Bakehouse Theatre, and there are still a few tickets available for tonight’s performance.

British India / The Original Wailers – The Gov

The Original Wailers.

Melbourne rock band British India are playing at The Governor Hindmarsh tonight (Friday) as part of a huge 35-date national tour in support of their latest album, Forgetting the Future. Next Monday and Tuesday night at The Gov, reggae band The Original Wailers (featuring Al Anderson) will perform the Bob Marley & The Wailers album Legend in full, plus an encore of greatest hits. Gig details here.

Adelaide Central School of Art Graduate Exhibition

More than 230 works by 30 emerging artists are on show in the 2017 Adelaide Central School of Art Graduate Exhibition at the school’s Glenside campus. Works explore themes ranging from gender issues and mental illness, to the effects of the digital revolution and Simpsons-style escapism, with media including painting, sculpture, mixed-media, ceramics and photography. All works are for sale and the show continues until December 22. See a sneak peek here.

Tarnanthi

The Art Gallery of SA’s Tarnanthi exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, which continues until January 28, features more than 40 new commissions, including the Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) installation comprising more than 550 kulata hanging in a cloud formation above hand-carved piti (wooden bowls). There is a series of Tuesday lunchtime talks and tours of the exhibition throughout December (see the gallery’s events calendar for details).