From 'Faulty Towers' chaos to ABBA singalongs, Interactive Theatre International Producer Jared Harford explains why interactive theatre works best when it doesn’t force the fun.
During Adelaide Fringe, you can always spot the Interactive Theatre International (ITI) crowd. They’re laughing too loud, singing mid-meal, sometimes pulled into the action. Some jump in. Others sit back and watch the chaos unfold. Either way, they leave buzzing.
This year, ITI is bringing five shows to the festival, spanning 'Faulty Towers The Dining Experience', 'Confetti & Chaos', improvised whodunnit 'Murder, She Didn’t Write', a full-throttle ABBA tribute, and 'Sink or SING!', which producer and programmer Jared Harford describes as “pub choir, but cabaret”.
What excites Harford about the line-up isn’t range for its own sake, it’s accessibility.
“It’s interactive for everybody,” he says. “Some people want to get really involved. Some people don’t. The show still works either way.”
That flexibility defines ITI’s approach. Their shows don’t force participation. They invite it, then read the room. 'Faulty Towers' and 'Confetti & Chaos' shift nightly with the audience. 'Murder, She Didn’t Write' relies on audience input without demanding it. The ABBA show is simpler, show up, sing, dance, eat, have a good time.
Adelaide, Harford says, is the ideal place for this kind of work.
“It really earns the title of festival city,” he says. “They embrace this time of year.”
That enthusiasm is why 'Murder, She Didn’t Write' is making its Australian debut at Adelaide Fringe, fresh from the West End and Edinburgh.
“If it’s going to work in Australia, Adelaide lets you know,” Harford says. “It’s a brilliant test market.”
Fringe gives shows room to experiment without the pressure of a full tour. New work can test audiences, adjust, then scale. ITI brings debuts here for that reason.
Longevity is another hallmark of the company. 'Faulty Towers' is now the longest-running show in Adelaide Fringe history, and it’s still drawing crowds. Harford credits improvisation.
“Our shows rely so heavily on the audience that they change every night,” he says.
He mentions a local regular who’s seen 'Faulty Towers' around 70 times. Extreme, maybe. But no two shows are ever the same.
Making interactive theatre feel playful rather than intimidating comes down to performers reading the room. Expectations are set early. Comfort comes first.
Improvisation is the risk that makes it all worthwhile. Harford says you can feel when a concept has something extra.
“We were the first company to do the 'Faulty Towers' dining concept,” he says. “Others have tried. It never works the same.”
The difference lives in the details, the care, the tiny choices that elevate it beyond standard improv. Harford laughs.
“It’s the je ne sais quoi.”
Despite drawing on nostalgia, ITI’s shows never feel stuck in the past.
“There are attitudes in old TV shows that don’t reflect today,” Harford says. “We don’t apply them to real people.”
The jokes stay with fictional characters. Audiences understand the line.
At the core of ITI’s work is communal joy, people laughing, singing, eating together. That was always the plan.
“Our original motto was ‘theatre for non-theatre people,’” Harford says. He believes escapism matters: “I don’t want to go out for a night and leave depressed,” he says. “I want to enjoy myself.”
Australian audiences may not always prioritise theatre, he admits, which means meeting people where they are.
“We don’t sell it as something scary or snooty,” he says. “It’s a fun night out.”
Looking ahead, ITI’s relationship with Adelaide Fringe is locked in.
“They’re part of our international success story,” Harford says. “We owe them a lot.”
For Harford, Fringe remains essential, a place where ideas are tested, audiences show up ready to play, and theatre remembers how to be fun. Everyone’s invited.
Interactive Theatre International 2026 Adelaide Fringe Schedule
20 February-22 March – 'Faulty Towers The Dining Experience' – Botanical Room at The Terrace Hotel
20 February-1 March – 'Sink Or SING!' – BankSA Theatre at Gluttony – Rymill Park
21 February – 'Confetti & Chaos' – Tickle Belly Hill
24 February-8 March – 'Confetti & Chaos' – Adelaide Room at Adelaide Royal Coach
3-15 March – 'Murder, She Didn't Write' – The Gosling at Gluttony – Rymill Park
10-15 March – 'Dancing Queen' – Adelaide Room at Adelaide Royal Coach
