5 great shows to catch over the final weekend of Adelaide Fringe
From late-night chaos to boundary-pushing cabaret, these Fringe favourites promise big laughs, bold performances and one last blast of Adelaide’s after-dark magic
It’s the final weekend of Adelaide Fringe and if you’re looking to squeeze in just one more show before the curtain falls, we’ve got you. Here’s our pick of the best cabaret and variety shows where you can kick back, enjoy a few laughs, and maybe even discover your hot tip for 2027. Yep, we went there.
Naughty Cabaret
Naughty Cabaret hosts an ever-changing line-up of clowns, comedians, cabaret stars and more. What sets it apart is hosting by Anna Marie Simonsen and Marie Kallevick Straume (known around these parts for Trolls). They elevate the in-between bits with a particular brand of absurdist madness that intertwines beautifully with each guest's performance yet also feels like a complete mini-show in itself. That means the night just gets funnier and funnier because the laughter never falters. Also, the tech might get naked.
Naughty Cabaret, The Courtyard Of Curiosities, State Library, Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March, 10.30pm.
Rhino Room Late Show
You can’t even think about ‘late night’ and ‘line-up’ without including Rhino Room Late Show. Going for 26 years straight, it offers two hours of the best talent around Adelaide, from huge names to soon-to-be-huge emerging stars. The best bit? They never release the bill beforehand, so you never know who you’re getting: just settle in and prepare for the funny to unfold. Saturday night’s show, a fundraiser celebrating the life of Rachel Krieg, is long sold-out but tickets are still available for Friday. Get on it.
Rhino Room Late Show, Upstairs At Rhino Room, Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March, 10pm.
Moulin Beige
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right: yep, you’re trapped inside the fever-brain that is 60 minutes of pure buffoonery, aka Moulin Beige. (It’s like the Moulin Rouge but run by idiots, apparently.) Hosted this weekend by Clara Cupcakes, check social media for the guests but it’s highly likely that Loveit Murray will appear at some point, alongside the wonder that is Sharnema Nougar.
Moulin Beige, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March 10.30pm; Sunday 22 March 9.30pm.
Swamplesque 2
The genius of this ogre-soaked production is its razor-sharp cohesion. Far, far more than a loose parade of stitched-together turns, it’s a fully realised story where each character has a time to shine, every creative choice is purposeful and the whole swamp gets a chance to sparkle. Highly recommended for a good old night out with the gang.
Swamplesque 2, Gluttony, until March 22, 9.30pm with additional performance Saturday 21 March, 4pm.
Smut, The Show
Billed as a show where sex work and stagecraft collide, Smut, The Show platforms the sex worker community in this very adult show. They want your hollers and your dollars here, so a tipping pot is handed out at the start of the show before performances from the likes of Rhea, Vixen, the hilarious Ugliest Hottie, Azula, Kitty Obsidian and Winter Greene. Expect full nudity and raw, unapologetic energy.
Smut, The Show, The Bunker at Fool’s Paradise, Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March, 10pm.
Main picture: Sharnema Nougar courtesy of Jennifer Forward.