Adelaide will play host to over 6000 artists and more than 1000 shows in the space of just a month. With stats like that, it is no wonder Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in Australia and the largest Fringe outside of Edinburgh. So with more than 13 different genres - from comedy to contemporary dance, light shows to disco - where does one begin? With this top 10 hit list. It's the ultimate guide to Fringe 2022.
1. Sky Song
Reignite your relationship with the stars at this once-in-a-lifetime event. The jewel in Fringe's crown this year, Sky Song will see drone specialists collaborate with First Nations artists to create a sky show, unlike anything you would have ever seen. This sky show will see drones light up the show, moving and melding together to roll out a five-chapter story in the sky. Narrated by singer-songwriter Archie Roach, Sky Song will tell the story of country and reconciliation.
2. Nazeem Hussain: Hussain That??
Nazeem Hussain is one of the hottest names in Australian comedy. Looking for proof? You can check out his bonafide Netflix special Nazeem Hussain: Public Frenemy, or talk to the man himself. "DM me your phone number on socials and I'll call you, and work through any objections you might have," he writes in his Fringe show bio. The Adelaide Fringe ambassador and former I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! contestant is taking a break from his regular role on Channel 10's The Project to jet into Adelaide to deliver his latest stand-up set, Hussain That??.
3. Reuben Kaye The Butch Is Back
Fringe is synonymous with cabaret, and this is cabaret at its best. After collecting some enviable accolades last year - including Adelaide Fringe's Best Cabaret show, FringeWorld Perth's Best Cabaret and Variety Show and a nod in the category 'Most Oustanding Show' at Melbourne International Comedy Festival - Reuben Kaye will be in hot demand in 2022. With a sharp tongue, edgy sense of humour and an even bigger show - The Butch Is Back is a must-see.
4. Diana Nguyen - Chasing Keanu Reeves
Any Keanu Reeves fans out there? Well, you are in good company. Diana Nguyen was voted most influential Asian-Australian under 40 last year and is the co-creator of the first Vietnamese Australian web series Phi and Me. Her latest show, Chasing Keanu Reeves, will see Nguyen discuss everything from chasing love, men, and even her own mother.
5. Arcadia - Bohemian Cabaret
While Arcadia is technically a cabaret show, a soundtrack of music from different decades pushes this performance beyond the genre. With psychedelic 70s tunes to RnB and soft indie, Arcadia is a musical utopia.
6. A Night With Uncle Jack
There are some people in life that you meet that will leave you irrevocably changed. A night with Uncle Jack will do the same. Uncle Jack Charles is searingly honest as he opens up about his 78 years spent roaming this earth - that has seen him become a gifted performer, battle heroin addiction, discover a love for music, become a thief, learn the art of pottery and end up in prison. In this unique show, Uncle Jack will share with the audience excerpts from his biography, 'Jack Charles: A Born Again Blackfella,' published in 2019.
7. Electric Dreams: VR swings 'Volo: Dreams of Flight'
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly? Volo is about as close as humans can come to it - unless you have a jet pack in the garage. In this complete one-of-a-kind audience experience, punters will get to hop on a swing donning a VR headset. The movement of the swing gives the body a flying sensation while the reality around you warps and changes - heightening your senses. Choose to fly like a bird over city streets and mountain passes, perform in an aerial ballet or rocket toward space. Your reality is yours to choose in this Da Vinci-inspired and fully immersive experience.
8. Afghanistan Is Not Funny
Imagine being threatened by a war criminal and targeted by Al-Qaeda. This became a reality for playwright Henry Naylor and photographer Sam Maynard when they decided to journey to Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11. Now, Naylor is revisiting his learnings from his treacherous visit in 'Afghanistan Is Not Funny,' in the wake of Australia and the US withdrawing from the region last year.
9. Dusty Feet Mob
The Dusty Feet Mob blend contemporary and traditional dance - sharing their culture, community and country. This cultural experience will see dancers reenact sacred and important stories while exploring past hurts and injustices inflicted upon Aboriginal families. The Dusty Feet Mob hope that both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people will leave the show with a greater sense of acceptance, understanding and empathy. This show marks the first time the Dusty Feet Mob has performed at the Adelaide Fringe.
10. Classical Mystery Tour
Have you missed the electricity and atmosphere of live music? Indulge in some nostalgia and transport yourself back to the summer of love. It's 1967, The Beatles mania is strong and the band has just dropped their album Magical Mystery Tour - a postcard from an iconic, yet chaotic, decade of music-making for the famous British lads. Revisit this time with the help of a 15 piece orchestra and rock band that makes up the Classical Mystery Tour, a journey that will cover The Beatle's best hits - think Strawberry Fields Forever, All You Need Is Love and Hello Goodbye.
Got a taste for festivity?
The frivolity doesn't have to stop in March. South Australia is home to world-class events and festivals year-round, including Tasting Australia. Check out our live South Australian Festivals and Events Calendar to discover more.
