The 2019 Adelaide Cabaret Festival programme is here.
In its 19th year, it's the largest cabaret festival in the world; the place to cosy up, escape and be seen.
This year will bring 245 performances to Adelaide over 16 days and nights. These performances include 17 world premieres, 7 Australian premieres, 17 Adelaide premieres, 17 Adelaide exclusives, 17 free events and 49 ticketed shows. The International artists are from USA, Ireland, NZ, Sweden, Germany and the UK.
This year's programme has a plethora of big names and talents ready to entertain you no matter what you're looking for.
Kicking things off for the year will be 'The House Is Live' on Opening Night. Directed by Craig Ilott, it features Adelaide Cabaret Festival favourites Meow Meow, Paul Capsis, Reuben Kaye and Queenie van de Zandt alongside some newcomers including Nkechi Anele, Omar Musa and Alma Zygier to name a few.
In an Australian exclusive and premiere, headliner and German chanteuse Ute Lemper will bring her show 'Rendezvous With Marlene' to Thebarton Theatre for one night only.
International superstar Hans, Julia Zemiro as Eurobeat character Bronya and vaudevillian duo Hot Gin Punch will be preforming at 'The 11 O'Clock Number' a hot new Adelaide night club.
Elaine Crombie of Black Comedy, 8MMM and Kiki & Kitty will be making her festival debut as a contemporary cabaret artist.
New Artistic Director Julia Zemiro is excited to be stepping into the role, particularly for this year's event.
"If you love all things shiny, it’s there. If you love to laugh, or reminisce and hear a dark story, it’s there. If you love a big bold stand alone main event, it’s absolutely there! If you love music that moves you in your heart and soul, or makes you dance til 2 am, done. And if you love a curve ball... And want to go outside your comfort zone... We’ve taken care of that too. Welcome!” she says.
If you want razzle dazzle, West End and Broadway superstar Ruthie Henshall will bring her new solo show, 'Ruthie Henshall: Live & Intimate' to The Famous Spiegeltent.
If you are ready for a laugh 'Presentation Night' featuring Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy and singer-songwriter Tex Perkins is the show for you. It discusses love, life and how to win the premiership flag. Or you could go watch Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood take a satirical look at musical theatre and its greatest (thinnest) leading ladies in 'Fat Musicals: A Body of Work'.
If you are ready for a curveball, cabaret favourite Iota is back as you’ve never seen him before in the hilarious show 'Slap And Tickle' while the UK’s Dickie Beau (recent film credits 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'Colette') performs a one-man variety show. In an Australian first, Sweden’s Queen of Swing, Gunhild Carling will belt through a cavalcade of jazz standards, sometimes playing three trumpets at once while tap dancing!
Not only will the festival bring new acts from around the world... It will also host them in new places. The Famous Spiegeltent (which will be located at Adelaide Festival Centre), The Blue Room (at Adelaide Festival Centre's Festival Theatre foyer), Thebarton Theatre (which will host the headline acts) and the QBE Cabaret Lounge in Festival Theatre foyer.
"The buzz around our new venues I know will enrich the audience and the performers’ experience,” Julia says.
“From curating exciting acts, to meetings with artists, to creating a look and and feel for the programme, to see the Cabaret team and crew building this festival with me has been an extraordinary trip. I am now so thrilled we can finally unleash the programme and I can rave openly about these incredible shows. See you in the foyer!”
