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Fringe in the Hills keeps the festival vibe alive in April

Fringe may be over on the plains, but this week it kicks off in the Adelaide Hills.

Apr 12, 2022, updated Apr 12, 2022
A Fringe event at Stirling. Photo supplied

A Fringe event at Stirling. Photo supplied

Presented by Bamboozled Productions, Fringe in the Hills (formerly Stirling Fringe) takes place across ten days in these school holidays, with a line-up of Fringe favourites, live music, five-star shows and family entertainment.

Fringe in the Hills and Bamboozled director Louise Clarke says she is looking forward to the new iteration of the five-year-old festival.

“There is such an amazing line-up of shows and music and The Opening Night Party is going to be spectacular,” says Clarke.

“We are so excited about taking the festival to two gorgeous Hills towns, Stirling and Lobethal.”

Fringe in the Hills kicks off with an opening night party on Friday, April 15 at Coventry Library Lawns Stirling / Piccadillyangga, which plays host to the festival until 18 April with music, dancing, entertainers and top-notch hospitality from the Adelaide Hills community.

From 19 to 21 April the hub moves to Stirling Community Theatre and then to Fabrik Arts and Heritage, Lobethal from 22 to 24 April.

The 100 per cent South Australian program is packed with music, magic, comedy, cabaret, drag, burlesque, theatre and dance.

Nancy Bates.(C) Ben Searcy July 2021

Performing her award-winning show Still Talking ‘Bout a Revolution, Nancy Bates is thrilled to be part of the diverse, local line-up

“South Australia has a habit of overlooking the incredible local talent when it comes to programming festivals and events,” Bates says.

“People come and see SA talent and say ‘How the hell do I not know about these artists? They are freaking incredible; literally world class’.”

“This event is an example of the systemic change that needs to occur,” she continues. “We must be celebrated, we need to be marketed, and we must be given priority as we rebuild a SA music community that is inclusive, accessible, and equitable for women, for First Nations people, for People of Colour, for our people living with disability, for LGBTQI+ folk, for culturally diverse musicians.”

Fringe in the Hills features comedy cabaret coming off the back of five-star reviewed, sold out seasons, like Endo Days, Millicent Sarre is Opinionated and Prepping for Theatre.

Family friendly shows like Bettong and Buddies, Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall, Game on Three and Bubba-Licious are set to delight and excite younger audiences.

Stirling Community Theatre will play host to popular artists like Matt Tarrant and hypnotist performer Isaac Lomman.

There will also be a stellar Best of SA Comedy ­line up of the state’s best comics, cabaret king Michael Griffiths will play his Greatest Hits, and Amelia Ryan and Libby O’Donovan’s will present their smash hit show UNSUNG, a celebration of pop and rock divas from the 1960s.

To commemorate ANZAC Day, Little Sisters ANZAC Day Afternoon Tea and Dance will take the audience back to the 1940s, playing wartime tunes at Centennial Hall.

Adelaide Hills musician Alex Harris has curated a program free, live music starting from 10:45am weekends. A resident for the past eight years, he is passionate about the energy and community of the hills.

“Through years of running a live music night at Cafe Troppo as well as programming some small local festivals, I have seen an amazing transformation in the quality and amount of original music coming out of South Australia,” says Harris.

“This was an opportunity to showcase some of that talent and create some beautiful connections with the artists we have here.”

“We have tried to keep things dynamic, so there are different artists for both the Stirling and Lobethal stages. Many of the artists on the line-up have some connection to the Adelaide Hills.”

“This is going to be an open space where all are welcome and I wanted the music to speak to that and be fun and accessible for everyone to enjoy.”

With great First Nations folk artists, like Nathan May, on the program, as well as toe-tapping blues, country and swinging street jazz from Atlantic Street Band and The Various Nefarious, there will be something for everyone.

Festival goers can enjoy Afro-jazz from Didier Kumalo in Lobethal, and local Cuban superstar Lazaro will open the Stirling weekend. Slow Mango will take to the stage on Easter Sunday, with earlier sets that day from new local jazz electronica instrumental outfit No News, and Hills favourite Abbey Howlett in Lobethal with her new project Quartz Pistol.

This is the perfect opportunity to catch up on shows from Adelaide Fringe, or to have a second helping of Fringe fun.

www.fringeinthehills.com.

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