The 21 best shows to see at Adelaide Fringe in 2025

If you only see one show at Adelaide Fringe, make it La Ronde. This cabaret-cross-comedy-cross-concert gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “you gotta risk it for the biscuit”. It’s both risky and risqué, and the biscuit part will make sense once you’ve seen it. For their latest show, the Strut and Fret team (Blanc de Blanc, Limbo)  have assembled a sensational international cast, featuring hair-hanging icon Polina Karvovskaya (Belarus), mouth-hanging aerialist Felipe Reyes (Colombia) and viral aerial pole star Sergiy Mishchurenko (Ukraine). Prepare to leave your jaws on the floor.

When: February 14 to March 23
Where: The Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Price: $60 to $129

After sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh Fringe, Thailand’s most dazzling showbiz divas are making their grand Aussie debut in Adelaide with a cabaret spectacular that’s as fabulous as it is flirtatious. Dripping in diamantes, feathers and sequins, the LadyBoys work the floor, dancing to the biggest pop hits you know and love. You can join the party, sing your heart out and make hundreds of friends in one exhilarating hour. Can I get a “yas, queens!?”

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The Octagon at Gluttony
Price: $60 to $85

Forget everything you think you know about the ‘circus’ (aka that red-and-white striped tent with clowns). This cutting-edge circus troupe from Japan pushes the boundaries of performance art with jaw-dropping acrobatics, breathtaking visual effects and an electrifying soundtrack. Highlights include a gravity-defying chair balancing act, illuminated juggling, synchronised diabolo (Chinese yo-yo) numbers and mesmerising trapeze stunts. 

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The MOA at Gluttony
Price: $27 to $64

Trot on over to Adelaide Fringe to catch the first-ever comedy show performed entirely by a horse. Created by award-winning British comedian Elf Lyons and performed by Treacle, this 60-minute gig is unlike any comedy show we’ve ever seen before. It’s full of “you had to be there” moments, with childhood nostalgia, audience antics and just a lot of horsing around. Giddy up and grab your tix.

When: February 21 to March 15
Where: Hetzel Room (at State Library) and Drama Llama @ Rhino Room
Price: $28 to $35

More than a decade after its debut, this saucy and spellbinding circus show by the Blanc de Blanc crew is drawing crowds back to the big tent. The 2024 reboot kept audiences on the edge of their seats, featuring a seductive mix of cabaret, circus and acrobatics, performed to a backdrop of heart-pounding live music and hectic strobe lighting. The international cast is led by New York’s Jank maestro Sxip Shirey and also features Bulgarian aerialist Maria Moncheva, slack rope daredevil David Marco and fire-eating singer Clara Fable. Warning: We’d suggest leaving the kids at home.

When: February 14 to March 23
Where: The Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Price: $59 to $129

Prepare to be whisked away on a journey of wine, wit and whimsy as comedy duo Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh bring their smash-hit show, In Pour Taste, to Gluttony. Winner of the 2024 Best Eat and Drink Award, this mischievous masterclass includes vines-worth of jovial, banter-heavy jokes and five delightful wine tastings. You’ll leave on cloud wine!

When: February 23 to March 10
Where: BankSA Theatre at Gluttony
Price: $55 to $59

Back for another stellar season in 2025, the award-winning Sleeps Hill Tunnel invites curious adventurers to uncover a hidden part of Adelaide’s past. Follow the tracks down the city’s forgotten railway to discover the tunnel’s former life as a mushroom farm. This exclusive sneak peek into the tunnel features spectacular light shows and life-size installations, including soothing time-lapse footage of fungi growing, glow-in-the-dark sculptures, a kaleidoscopic mirror tunnel and more. You won’t want the 377-metre-long journey to end.

When: February 14 to March 30
Where: Grandview Crescent, Panorama 
Price: $18 to $28

What do Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix all have in common? Beyond their status as legendary musicians who could command a room with a flick of a guitar pick, they’re also all part of the 27 Club – an infamous list of talented artists who tragically passed away at the age of 27. Experience the stories and music of these artists with winner of Fringe’s Best Music Award in 2021, 27 Club. The live rockumentary will feature Australian rock icons Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah, Bob Evans), Carla Lippis (Mondo Psycho) and Dusty Lee Stephenson, with other special guests, who will pay homage to the fated members.

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The Fantail at Gluttony
Price: $27 to $99

Put your Hans in the air and wave them like you just don’t care (because he sure doesn’t). After completing his biggest tour to date in 2024, international cabaret and comedy sensation Hans (America’s Got Talent) returns to Adelaide Fringe with the world premiere of his latest show. In this dazzling cabaret-meets-21st-birthday bash, Hans gives his party guests an emotional behind-the-scenes look at his glittering rise to stardom – complete with pop bangers, accordion riffs and enough sequins to blind a disco ball. Note: when we say emotional, we mean you’ll be crying with laughter.  

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The Flamingo at Gluttony
Price: $56 to $94

The Aussie premiere of Darkfield’s newest yet equally chilling alt-universe, Invisible, will be making its debut at Adelaide Fringe, alongside Séance and Flight. In this haunting ASMR experience, brave souls will step into a blacked-out shipping container and learn the unsettling art of disappearing. Enter at your own risk. 

When: February 14 to March 23
Where: The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Price: $25

If you thought the circus was just for kids, think again. Winner of Best Circus at Adelaide Fringe 2020, Rouge returns to Adelaide for its eighth and final season in 2025. This sizzling adults-only variety show invites audiences into a world where astonishing stunts mingle with supremely sexy performances – all executed by a troupe of wickedly talented circus and burlesque performers. Each week, a special guest from past Rogue seasons will take the stage performing in a different act that’s sure to leave you breathless.

When: February 20 to March 23
Where: The Moa at Gluttony
Price: $39 to $68

This immersive theatrical dinner experience based on the beloved BBC has been a hit since its debut in Brisbane all the way back in 1997. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience now tours Australia year-round and is ideal for people who don’t enjoy sitting in a traditional theatre – you get to eat, drink, talk and move around throughout the show. Expect a ’70s-style three-course meal, alongside two hours of gags and shambolic service from Basil, Sybil and Manuel. 

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The Terrace Hotel Adelaide and Coonawarra Hall 
Price: $90 to $113

If you thought blowing bubbles was an innocent pleasure, think again. This Australian-born, adults-only show has been selling out Fringe festivals around the world since 2017. It blends high-level bubble-based wizardry with comedy, performance art and a little bit of raunch – hence why the kids need to stay at home. But don’t worry, the same troupe has a soaptastic Bubble Show In Space for kids, running every weekend.

When: February 20 to March 23
Where: The May Wirth at Gluttony
Price: $22 to $35

Dance and doodle your way into the whimsical world of Creative Juices, a wildly interactive art-meets-comedy show popping up all across the city this Fringe. Award-winning performer Timothy Christopher Ryan will be your creative guru for the night, helping you transform a blank canvas into a masterpiece worthy of your mum’s fridge. Prepare to get your hands dirty, unleash your inner demons under UV lights and laugh until your cheeks hurt. 

When: February 20 to March 23
Where: Across multiple venues
Price: $28 to $31

This joyous one-woman tribute to the whimsical first lady of British alt-pop is the next best thing to seeing a live performance from Kate Bush herself. After winning the Cabaret Weekly Award at Adelaide Fringe in 2024, Sarah-Louise Young is bringing her cult cabaret back to The Garden of Unearthly Delights for an epic four-week run. Expect lots of audience interaction, as you become “Fish People”, as Bush’s fans call themselves, regardless of how well they may know her back catalogue. And Fish People are not precious, it seems – Young’s reworking of several songs, including a Russian take on ‘Babushka’ with the pronunciation corrected, are sure to leave you smiling.

When: February 18 to March 23
Where: Le Cascadeur at The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Price: $32 to $46

It’s time to fire up MSN Messenger, dig out your cargo pants and splash a little skunk dye in your hair – the ultimate 2000s throwback party is returning to Fringe. Adelaide’s own Chloe Castledine and her ten-piece crew of dancers and musicians will deliver a non-stop hour of bangers, featuring Y2K legends like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and J Lo. See you on the DF! 

When: February 25 to March 9
Where: The May Wirth at Gluttony
Price: $40 to $65

After premiering as a Best In Comedy finalist at Sydney Fringe 2023 and being a Best In Interactive finalist in 2024, the world’s first live-action video game comedy, Karate Man, will make its grand return to Adelaide Fringe this February. Audience members take the leading role in this choose-your-own-adventure show and will use a Bluetooth video game controller to command the Karate Man through challenges, skits and character encounters. 

When: February 20 to March 2
Where: The Lark at Gluttony
Price: $25 to $39

After a sell-out run in 2024, the Infamous cast is back and ready to break all the rules in their custom-built Spiegel big top. This high-energy show packs gravity-defying stunts, seductive burlesque and outrageous comedy into two epic hours, all set to a backdrop of dazzling lights and pulsing music. It’s R-rated for a reason – dare to find out why?

When: February 20 to March 23
Where: Main Stage at Infamous Theatre
Price: $55 to $150

After thrilling more than 650,000 people worldwide with their award-winning circus show, The Black Blues Brothers are gearing up for yet another Adelaide Fringe season. This acrobatic tribute to John Landis’ cult movie sees the five-piece ensemble from Nairobi performing astonishing tricks and stunts – from rope jumping and fiery limbo dancing to hilarious stripteases and more. There’s a reason they get standing ovations every show. 

When: February 21 to March 23
Where: The Virago at Gluttony
Price: $25 to $52

Expect a magical night out at this neon-lit cocktail bar, returning to The Garden of Unearthly Delights. It’s not just metaphorically magical, but an actual magic-filled evening featuring a line-up of magician superstars direct from Japan. There's no stage for the performers here as the intimate show will take place right at your table, where you'll be just inches away from the bamboozling sleight-of-hand magic. While you enjoy the show, you'll sip on bespoke cocktails mixed by a Japanese master mixologist.

When: February 16 to March 17
Where: The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Price: $62 to $82

Kicking off the festival with a laugh is always a good idea and the 2024 award-winning absurdist comedy Plenty of Fish in the Sea is sure to deliver plenty of giggles. Created and performed by Emily Ayoub and Madeline Baghurst, this physically adventurous fable dives into the surreal world of online dating and promises to be a relatable hit for all ages. 

When: March 4 to 9
Where: The Courtyard of Curiosities and the Migration Museum
Price: $30 to $32