Welcome to your electric dream. In the corner of the city, a little away from the main action of the Garden of Unearthly Delights, sits Fool's Paradise.
With free mini golf and a range of food options, if you're going past Victoria Square as part of 2025 Adelaide Fringe, it's an ambient place to stop in and have a drink, while taking in the surrounding activities.However, that is not why I was here tonight (5 March). No, my experience was set to embark on a completely different trajectory. Walking into the tent they call The Vault for a show called 'Nightrunner', the curious crowd were met by a man sitting casually on the side of the stage.
Eyes shrouded in mystery by his white contact lenses, his hair braided and his demeanour both warm and mischievous, he was very much setting the tone for what was about to happen. Once the lights dimmed and the show began, the armchair became occupied. Our white-eyed friend addressed the audience, inviting us to delve into fantasy and succumb to our hidden desires.
With a little crowd interaction and a staunch warning we were in for a ride, it felt like being offered both the blue pill and the red pill in 'The Matrix'. As nobody left the tent, it seemed this Wednesday night audience were ready to strap in for the ride.
What awaited us was a deep dive into an artistic display of dance, acrobatics and a demonstration of defying physics (and perhaps biology). One of the first performers, a trapeze artist who combined the essence of burlesque with the physical feats of an olympic gymnast, took us through a tantalising routine that bordered on seduction and complete utter dominance.
This was only the beginning of the magnificent demonstrations of talent. Woven together like a nod to the cult-underground science fiction, grungy films of the early 2000s (think 'The Matrix', 'Tron', 'Queen Of The Damned', "Underworld'), my body felt engaged the whole show. I needed to occasionally remind myself to breathe.
One performer was the physical embodiment of whimsy with her hoops routine. Despite her edgy black outfit, the glitter gave her the essence of a dark fairy, as she spun the silver hoops around her body with ease. Like they were just a fine thread, she wove and spun a tapestry of movement, eventually returning to a role as a player in the game.
A tandem acrobatics routine from the two male performers also left me in awe. Their split neon orange and black skin suits, with the orange cyber design playing off the light, created incredible illusions as the two contorted their body this way and that, giving a level of almost intimacy and connectivity that did not feel possible without any romantic connotations. Their flow was infinite, their trust in each other evident.
Our earlier trapeze artist also returned with a dance routine. Clearly classically trained, she drew upon elements of vogue and modern jazz, pulling together a barre routine that had the character of a rogue ballerina. Cleverly disguised in black at the back, the two male performers returned, acting as a bar and support.
She was not the only incredible dancer. Our friend who kicked off the proceedings returned. Once again tapping into the animation style that gave his character flair, he took it to the next level. For those in the know, this was some high level popping and animation. Playing with lasers and lights, he used them and his precise isolations to curate a spectacular routine that tricked the eyes and manipulated the mind.
I could talk endlessly about the performances I witnessed. If I have not mentioned a particular moment, it is because I do not want to give it all away. What I will say is this; 'Nightrunner' may not be the strongest on storyline, but everything makes sense.
Their goal was to suspend disbelief; and that is what they did. To take you on a trip, to play with the feelings of fantasy and reality. A furious cyberpunk aesthetic, driven by challenging the limits of human movement.
It is a show that will leave you contemplating whether what you watched was real or you were still to wake up from your electric dream.
'Nightrunner' continues at Adelaide Fringe on 7-9, 12-16, 19-23 March at The Vault @ Fool's Paradise in Victoria Square.
