The Best Of Mel & Sam

Mel & Sam hit the stage for one wild night with the very best of their bonkers brand of musical comedy. Armed with catchy original hits, dance numbers and anecdotes, they usher in a new, gloriously queer era of cabaret.

The Best Of Mel & Sam, Space Theatre, Friday 14 June, 9pm.

Between The Covers

Did someone say cabaret book club? Join Jennifer Byrne, Marieke Hardy and Virginia Gay for a panel discussion of The Great Gatsby, soundtracked by classic jazz-age songs performed live. Sunday afternoon well spent.

Between The Covers, Banquet Room, Sunday 16 June, 3pm.

Gillian Cosgriff: Actually, Good

There’s a reason Cosgriff won Most Outstanding Show at the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In a brilliant and beautiful hour of original songs, improvisation and hilarious stand-up, Cosgriff asks about the little things that make life worth living.

Gilliam Cosgriff: Actually, Good, Space Theatre, Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 June, times vary.

Emma Donovan: Til My Song Is Done Album Launch

Emma Donovan never fails to stun with her distinctive blend of musical styles and incredible voice. Donovan sings songs of country and community, celebrating the launch of her fifth studio album. 

Emma Donovan: Til My Song Is Done Album Launch, Dunstan Playhouse, Thursday 20 June, 8pm.

Jess Hitchcock: A Fine Romance

Subtitled ‘The Songs That Made Me’, this is Hitchcock’s love letter to the jazz, blues, rock and opera (oh yeah, she’s got pipes) that have shaped her unique sound. Hauntingly unforgettable.

Jess Hitchcock: A Fine Romance, Space Theatre, Thursday 13 June, 6pm.

Hopelessly Devoted

Celebrate the lasting legacy of Olivia Newton-John along with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and some of Australia’s best and brightest vocalists. Featuring songs from Grease and Xanadu, alongside Newton-John’s catalogue of hits, you’ll still be singing on the drive home.

Hopelessly Devoted, Festival Theatre, Saturday 15 June, 7.30pm.

iOTA: Enter The Dragon

Just a man with a guitar and some stuff to sing about. By candlelight. Stripped-back and intimate, this one will tear your heart apart then stick it all back together again.

iOTA: Enter The Dragon, Banquet Room, Thursday 20 June, 9.30pm.

Jekyll & Hyde

Festival favourites A Slightly Isolated Dog return to the stage with their raucous take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale, combining the best and most chaotic elements of theatre, music and comedy in one absurd (and sexy) show.

Jekyll & Hyde, Space Theatre, Friday 7–Sunday 9 June, times vary.

Reuben Kaye: The End – Songs of Finality & Farewell

Bid adieu to the festival with everyone’s favourite chaotic cabaret darling. Performing some of the all-time best closing numbers with a tight-as-hell band, Kaye says farewell to the festival . . . and hello to the after-party.       

Reuben Kaye: The End – Songs of Finality & Farewell, Banquet Room, Friday 21 & Saturday 22 June, 10.15pm.

Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes

Patti LuPone . . . say no more! The Tony Award-winning icon brings a lifetime of song to the Festival Theatre, taking the audience on a journey through her youth, coming of age and her showstopping career. Legend status achieved.

Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes, Festival Theatre, Wednesday 19 June, 8pm.

Musical Bang Bang

This never-seen-before (and never-to-be-seen-again) performance tasks a cast of actors, comedians and improvisers to do the impossible and create a stage show on the spot. No scripts, no plan and no guarantees: cabaret chaos at its best.

Musical Bang Bang, Banquet Room, Friday 14 & Saturday 15 June, 7pm.

Lisa Simone: Keeper Of The Flame

This exclusive show is a daughter’s tribute, as Dame Lisa Simone sings the classics of her mother, Dr Nina Simone. Accompanied by an all-star big band, Simone pays tribute and carries the legacy of the High Priestess Of Soul as only she can.

Lisa Simone: Keeper Of The Flame, Festival Theatre, Saturday 22 June, 8pm.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Festival Centre, Kaurna Country, Friday 7–Saturday 22 June; main picture: Claudio Raschella.