Raising the curtain on the Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Go all out as a very special Adelaide Cabaret Festival takes centre stage from 9–24 June.
With artists hailing from all over the globe, South Australia is in for a treat with not one, not two, but nine past artistic directors lending their flair to selecting a program of world-class performances for this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
Here are five top-shelf acts for you to catch this year. Flash your RAA membership and you’ll get the razzle dazzle with a 10% discounts on A reserve tickets for these and other select shows.
Soulful sounds
What: My Life is A Symphony, Kate Ceberano with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
When: 10 June. 7:30pm
Where: Festival Theatre
Since bursting onto the scene, Kate Ceberano has been the voice of Australian music in a magical career spanning 40 years. See her on stage with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra as she performs her favourite songs chosen from her extensive 30 album catalogue. From rousing anthems to soulful ballads, this powerful performance by one of Adelaide Cabaret Festival’s esteemed artistic directors is not to be missed.
Jazz lovers unite
What: Come in Spinner The Concert with Vince Jones and special guest Nina Ferro
When: 11 June, 5pm
Where: Festival Theatre
Hear the man with the ‘voice from heaven’ as he revisits songs from his 1990 album, Come in Spinner – the highest-selling Australia jazz album of all time. Joined by special guest Nina Ferro, Vince Jones and his 17-piece band will perform new arrangements of beloved jazz classics. From Cole Porter to Gershwin to Duke Ellington, Come in Spinner is an unmissable night.
Adelaide Tonight today
What: Adelaide Tonight with Bob Downe and Willsy
When: 15–18 June, 6pm
Where: Space Theatre
Anne ‘Willsy’ Wills and Bob Downe join forces for a raucous reinvention of South Australia’s first live TV show – Adelaide Tonight. First airing in 1959, the show ran four nights a week until 1973. The variety show was an Adelaide institution with guests from across the country and the world. Our local gal Willsy was one of the original presenters, and she takes to the stage once again with Mardi Gras icon Bob Downe to relive the glory days. No two nights are the same with an ever-changing line-up of fabulous artists and comedians – and with your RAA member discount, you can justify joining in the fun more than once.
Journey through song
What: Robyn Archer – An Australian Songbook
When: 17 June, 4pm & 18 June, 5pm
Where: Dunstan Playhouse
Buckle up for a wild road trip through more than 150 years of alternative Australian music, from rock, folk and country to musical theatre, satire, and even a few Robyn Archer originals. Described as a “fearless, political and personal celebration of Australian song”, Robyn takes the audience on a journey to the heart of Australian identity – one shaped through music. Make sure you check out this Adelaide premiere.
Soul, story and song
What: An Evening with Ursula Yovich
When: 22 June, 7:30pm
Where: Dunstan Playhouse
“No matter what language you speak, we all understand emotions – and we understand music,” says living legend Ursula Yovich. Inspired by family, Ursula’s one-person cabaret show is a celebration of differences and similarities, exploring language, culture and connection, as she tells the stories of her homeland in Maningrida, north-west Arnhem Land. Touring with Midnight Oil’s Adam Ventura and an incredible live band, this is an evening not to be missed.