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Acrobat – Smaller, Poorer, Cheaper
Wed Feb 20
Digest this. A darkened garden space, ropes and rigs, heights and intermittently naked acrobatic performers freely swinging amid the night of unearthly delights. Welcome to the world of Acrobat. Fusing circus techniques with genuine creativity, this acrobatic-inspired performance is principally an impressive feat. Combining three solo acts with shifting props, apparatus and levels of danger, the performance is captivating, specifically during the ‘take a deep breath moments’ – the ones which fleetingly freeze your attention, mid movement, forcing you to concentrate on every daunting and risky twist, turn and swing. Such acrobatic skills will create awe-inspiring wonderment and while the in-between bits often leave you mystified and baffled as to the purpose of their inclusion, they provide an element of humour, bizarre hilarity and strangeness that gives Acrobat its own unique spin. You will have never seen anything quite like this before. Leave any expectations at the door and unwind your mind to the fascinating Acrobat world.
Acrobat – Smaller, Poorer, Cheaper plays at the Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sat Mar 15.
Kerry Loyson

Ollie And The Minotaur
One Forty Five, Wed Feb 20
Three long-time girlfriends get away for the weekend and party hard. Alcohol takes a grip and the conversation gets deeper and darker. The constant stream of coarse semi-consciousness gives way to a savage raking of the coals of trauma past. No-one is innocent. The first half of the performance develops the characters to a point that we understand where each of the three women is coming from. Ollie And The Minotaur really picks up from around the halfway mark. The climax is powerfully depicted and demonstrates that, more often than not, once things are said there’s no going back. The three actors acquit themselves admirably, the play works well visually, and the story itself is a worthy effort. The intimate venue assists audience members in connecting with the performance.
David Robinson
Ollie And The Minotaur continues at One Forty Fiveuntil Sat Mar 15.

Chalkies
Maxim’s Wine Bar, Wed Feb 20
The latest offering from Matt Byrne Media, Chalkies, takes a swing at those who would forget that schools are about students, not savings. This four-person show is a hugely entertaining series of vignettes that introduce us to over 30 different characters, all of whom have a vested interest in fictional Hilltop High’s amalgamation. Playing multiple roles is a challenge for any actor and Byrne was wise to bring this group together again (having shared the stage for MBM’s hugely successful Pricks in 2006). These fine actors move seamlessly through their roles, sharing both the humour and the moral outrage of teachers, students and parents who become victims of short-sighted, quick-fixing, uninformed government policy. The over-long script could be tightened to maintain its pace but overall an entertaining evening for anyone in need of a little education.
Rosie van Heerde
Chalkies continues at Maxim’s Wine Barat 8.00pm until Sun Mar 16.

The Town Bikes Present - The Meat Show
Theater Bosco, Wed Feb 20
This late-night delight entertains with its unique mix of cabaret and theatre. The Town Bikes, AKA energetic dancers Gabi Barton and Carla Yamine, have rolled an entertaining mix of juicy emotions into their performance. Their addictive characters are fleshed out to be macabre, manic, panicked and poignant. The dancers frantically spin the wheel as contestants in a game of chance which takes the name The Meat Show – ‘Where The Stakes Are High’ - and act out the wheel’s selection. From ‘Pass the Parcel’ to ‘Pig Fight’ each spin has the audience happily hooked to see what will happen next. The show’s original sound, matching costumes and clever choreography add up to a very well-done performance which takes a long look at the way society treats all its forms of meat.
Jenny Smith
The Meat Show continues at Bosco Theatre at 11pm until Tue Feb 26.

Playing Burton
Holden Street Theatres, Wed Feb 20
Guy Masterson brings quality productions to Adelaide each Fringe and he directed this marvellous play about his own great uncle. Josh Richards brilliantly portrays Richard Burton, as he nears the end and reflects on his life and loves, from his impoverished boyhood, through success, alcoholism and to his early death. The words are Burton’s own, or those of the great writers he loved so much. Close your eyes for a moment and it could almost be Burton himself on stage. Richards not only sounds like Burton but the movements, the gestures, the whole demeanour is superbly recreated in this masterly performance.
Barry Lenny
Playing Burton contines at Holden Street Theatres until Sun Mar 16.

Berkoff’s Women
Holden Street Theatres, Wed Feb 20
Linda Marlowe superbly investigates women in the writings of Steven Berkoff or, more accurately, their generally low opinions of men. Who better to do this than the woman who worked closely with Berkoff for a quarter of a century and played the lead in many of his plays? This diverse collection of women almost trip over the heels of each other as they appear and vanish in rapid succession. There is certainly no lack of pace in Marlowe’s marvellously physical show. Perhaps not as confronting nowadays, there is still much depth and humour here, brought out with panache by Marlowe.
Barry Lenny
Berkoff’s Women continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sun Mar 16.

An Air Balloon Across Antarctica
Holden Street Theatres, Wed Feb 20
A woman explorer’s solo journey across Antarctica in a balloon, accompanied by an obese hamster, who wants to be a lemming, and carrying her young son’s ashes, is the central theme of playwright, Darragh Martin’s, imaginative take on loss, grief and relationships, directed by Yvonne Versik. This is very much an ensemble piece, and what a great ensemble the company, Three To A Room, has assembled. These young actors present a carefully wrought production coupled with a high level of enthusiasm. The set and costumes match the high quality of the acting in this polished and exciting new work.
An Air Balloon Across Antarctica continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sun Mar 16.

Elizaveta
Holden Street Theatres, Wed Feb 20
Singer, songwriter and pianist, Elizaveta, is both a classically trained pianist and soprano, but her interests go well beyond this into jazz and popular music. Some of the songs are entirely her own and some have had a little help from co-composers such as Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. Her lyrics range from poignant to humorous and her breathy, sometimes sultry voice is dripping with nectar for the ears. The style of her songs reflects her wide musical and cultural background and audiences will undoubtedly want to take home her CD, Breakfast With Chopin, that is for sale at the venue.
Barry Lenny
Elizaveta plays Holden Street Theatres until Sun Mar 16.