The first tease of the 2021 Adelaide Cabaret Festival (ACF) is here in the form of six tantalising shows including the world premiere of Alan Cumming's 'Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age'.
The ACF Artistic Director's own show will be an evening of story and song, celebrating Alan's puckish, eclectic spirit and joie de vivre. 'Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age' will close the festival at Adelaide Festival Centre's Festival Theatre.
Meanwhile, audiences can also experience Alan's 'Club Cumming' each weekend of the festival, as The Famous Spiegeltent comes alive with delights, live performances and raucous Cumming DJ sets until 2am.
The festival's 'Variety Gala' will light up the Festival Theatre stage with the award-winning Hans hosting. Cabaret-lovers can re-emerge and hit the red carpet.
In an Australian premiere, the Festival Centre will produce and present 'L'Hôtel', an immersive main event running throughout the entirety of the festival. The Space Theatre will transform into a French hotel brimming with bohemian verve starring cabaret artists including Bri Emrich, Brendan Maclean and Lexi Strumolo.
'Betty Blokk Buster' is reimagined in a new show inspired by the 1975 production created by Reg Livermore. Josh Quong Tart ('The Lion King', 'All Saints', 'Home And Away' and 'Underbelly') takes on the iconic role and invites audiences back into the theatre.
'Betty Blokk Buster' – Image © Linnet
Award-winning cabaret artist Selina Jenkins is set to present her show 'BOOBS' in Adelaide for the very first time. This tale of mammary proportions follows a woman and her boobs through a life-changing decision, a million opinions, a natural disaster and an 'Australian first'.
Alan Cumming will be the first international Artistic Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
Every weekend at the festival I will be bringing a version of my New York cabaret bar, Club Cumming, to The Famous Spiegeltent. It will be a bacchanalian celebration dance party with performances, games, and surprises! Anything could happen, and hopefully it will. But the spirit of Club Cumming - all colours, all genders, all sexualities, and kindness, provocation and fun above all - I hope will infuse the entire festival.
"The restrictions COVID-19 has placed on our plans has actually been a positive in terms of my desire for the focus of Adelaide Cabaret Festival ‘21: the spotlight is firmly on Australian cabaret and talent," Alan says.
"Like 'L'Hôtel', the immersive performance experience and 'Betty Blokk Buster' reimagined, the homage to Reg Livermore’s iconic 1975 creation. Also, Selina Jenkins’ 'BOOBS' pushes the boundaries of what cabaret can be – looking at a devastating life happening with humour and insight."
Adelaide Cabaret Festival's early release shows are on sale from 9 November.
