Australian cabaret legend Tim Minchin plus Bob Downe with Anne 'Willsy' Wills are among performers starring in two new headline shows as part of this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival (ACF).
Award-winning musician, comedian, actor, writer and composer Tim Minchin will return to ACF, bringing with him an encore of his show 'BACK'. This will be the first stop of the show's national tour.
'BACK' features "old songs, new songs, f… you songs".
"I love Adelaide, and I can’t wait to bring 'BACK' back for another spin. I first played the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2004 – at the late-night slot in the foyer of Festival Theatre," Tim says. "Since then, Adelaide has been home to so many huge moments for me: comedy shows in tents, musicals in arenas, filming 'Upright', orchestra shows and festival openings. . . I always adore my time there."
'BACK' has already been seen by almost 69,000 Australians, and has picked up the Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert.
Meanwhile, in an exclusive world premiere, 'Adelaide Tonight' will take audiences back to the golden age of variety TV with Bob Downe and Willsy. This dynamic duo will recreate South Australia's iconic TV entertainment show live on stage, with a weekly line-up of artists including iOTA, Mama Alto, Thando, Yana Alana, Trevor Ashley and Adelaide's own Michael Griffiths.
Bob Downe and Willsy
"Australia and cabaret are synonymous for me," Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director Alan Cumming says. "My first visit in 1989 was to tour a cabaret show. The year before that I had been wowed by the talent of the Oznost group of performers at the Edinburgh Festival."
"One of them was Bob Downe, and Bob’s alter-ego Mark [Trevorrow] and I have stayed friends ever since so I am thrilled to welcome him and the amazing Willsy in 'Adelaide Tonight' – a celebration of everything Australian and Adelaidian and showbiz and cabaret!
"And that Australian spirit which I associate with the very spirit of cabaret itself is personified in Tim Minchin, a stunning polymath performer of such wit and tenderness and spunk."
