Join us in celebrating some of South Australia’s most talented artists, alongside incredible interstate and international performers, this Fringe Season at the home of youth arts and creativity.
From February 19 to March 20, we’ve curated an exceptional line-up of performances. With shows spanning music, theatre, dance, and workshops suitable for all ages, our 2026 Fringe program is sure to impress!
As Australia’s largest multi-art form cultural institution dedicated to children and young people we’re proud to give young emerging artists a platform to connect with local audiences and creatives alike.
PROGRAM
APOCALYPSE
Presented by D’Faces (SA)
Grace’s 15th birthday party unfortunately coincides with the zombie apocalypse – not the best start to the night, but it’ll all be fine, right?
Dark grindhouse horror and 2000’s campy comedy collide at the end of the world.
Six teenagers are fighting against all odds to survive. Will they make it, or will the zombies prevail? A hysterical, messy, Vegemite filled romp.
Praise:
★★★★ TTUACGTSTI (2024)
“The two young players held the stage with wit, ability and focus – well written, well performed and well worth watching more than once” Mindshare
★★★ MELTDOWN (2021)
“A talented cast of young regional artists intensely convey it’s the end of the world as we know it – and no one’s feeling fine” The Advertiser
★★★★ AREA 53 (2019)
“Alien invasion has never been this fun” Theatre Review Adelaide
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Friday 19th – Sunday 22nd February & Friday 27th February – Sunday 1st March
Time: 4.45pm (Fri/Sat) & 1.00pm (Sun)
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: M
YOU CAN’T TELL ANYONE by Joanna Richards
Presented by Odd Sockz Theatre (SA)
It’s the end of school and Gwen is throwing a party. After an emotional year, her friends are keen to spend the night drinking, playing games, and arguing about literally everything.
But when a party game spirals out of control, long-held tensions start to strain and snap. Are the friends messing with each other? Or is there a bigger threat pounding at the door?
Joanna Richards’ You Can’t Tell Anyone is a philosophical thriller that examines how teenagers survive the loss of meaning, structure and identity that comes with the end of adolescence. It asks us what it means to truly know someone, to truly be a friend, and to truly be yourself.
YOU CAN’T TELL ANYONE was commissioned and first produced by Canberra Youth Theatre
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Thursday 19th – Sunday 22nd February
Time: 7.15pm and additional 3.00pm matinees Sat/Sun
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: M
HELLO – A Tribute to Adele
Presented by Erin Sowerby (SA)
Ever found yourself belting out Adele songs in the car?
This relatable and raw tribute act walks you through the life of Adele, whilst showcasing smash hits from her historical career.
This captivating show will have you singing along to heart-wrenching ballads like ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and ‘Someone Like You’.
Featuring SA performer Erin Jae, with support from an intimate all-star band, you will get lost in the soul, outstanding vocals and blues undertones that make up Adele’s repertoire.
When: Thursday 19th – Sunday 22nd February and Friday 6th – Monday 9th March
Time: 6.00pm (19th – 22nd) & 4.45pm (6th – 9th)
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Music
Rating: PG
Celestial Gardens: The Secret Sound of Plants
Presented by Sacred Resonance (SA)
Can plants communicate? What would they say if they could sing? Step into this award-winning event presented by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine and discover the hidden sounds of nature as living plants create real-time music through biodata artistry.
Transforming the historic Carclew Gardens into a luminous realm of art, sound, and interactive installations. Nightly guest musicians will offer intimate live music sets of folk & world music.
Connect at the ‘Heart Hub’ and experience the “Frequency of Love” heart coherence installation. Relax and settle into the evening as the gardens come alive and ethereal characters roam the glowing grounds.
Enjoy a drink from the bar or sip on artisanal tea & unwind amidst the chill vibe, inviting you into the summer of the frequency of Love.
Where: Carclew Gardens
When: Thursday 19th – 22nd February and Thursday 26th Feb – Sunday 1st March 2026
Time: 7.00pm – 10.00pm
Duration: 180 minutes
Genre: Interactive
Rating: PG
The “Diversity” Quota
Presented by Trea Young, Kiara Ariza Stellato, Ruby Stewart, and Sam Kelly (VIC)
That HR approved… Despite the lineup being diverse, HR still felt the need to hire a white guy. What happens when you put together imported flavour, a queer Latina, a non-binary finery, and a white guy? Bone apple tea! Finally, a lineup that looks like your company’s About Us page — but actually funny.
Catch Trea Young, Kiara Ariza Stellato, Ruby Stewart, and Sam Kelly bringing sharp punchlines, wild stories, and fearless energy to this rapid-fire one-night showcase of Melbourne’s freshest comedy voices.
Deadpan weirdness, political sass, theatrical chaos, and charming cluelessness collide in a show full of laughs, light public shaming, and zero filters. The HR-approved diversity you didn’t know you needed — representation has never been this unhinged.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Friday 20th February (one show only)
Time: 8.30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
30 IS THE NEW 69
Presented by Trea Young (VIC)
A hilarious deep dive into turning 30, getting older, and still not having it together.
Thirty, flirty, and delightfully messy. Turning 30 isn’t a crisis—it’s a hilarious adventure. Trea Young shares awkward dating, adulting fails, and life’s chaos with shameless honesty and laughs.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Saturday 21st February (one show only)
Time: 8.30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
Earth Music
Presented by Coruscalia Collective (SA)
Come and experience a musical world full of colour and innovation, transporting you from floods and fires to rivers and forests.
Join Adelaide-based flute ensemble Coruscalia Collective as they explore the complex relationships between ecosystems, climate and humanity. Become immersed in soundscapes and melodies that will transport you from hazy eucalypt forests to the chaos of forest fires and dust storms, and the stillness of the desert at dawn.
This program of contemporary art music includes works by Australian composers Fran Griffin, Diana Blom and Christopher Sainsbury.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Sunday 22nd February (one show only)
Time: 4.45pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Music
Rating: All ages
Girlhood in the Bathroom
Presented by Imogen Brown, Sarah Eaton, Hannah Manderson, Amaya Pardillo, Alice Quick (AU)
Why do girls always go to the bathroom together? This show is a musical testimony to girlhood and growing up.
Set in a club bathroom, the story follows five 20-something-year-old girls throughout the night as they navigate love, friendship, and the harsh truths about the world they live in through passionate and dynamic scenes and songs.
This musical will leave you reminiscing longer than the bathroom line! Look forward to laughing, crying, and clapping along to this new Australian work. Let’s break the seal together!
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Thursday 25th February – Sunday 1st March 2026
Time: 8.30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: M
Tapestry
Presented by Hive Inspire Inc (SA)
With threads of comedy, dance, and music, this showcase features stories from emerging artists. These stories, written and performed by youth in our community, celebrate creativity and inspire hope for the future. The young cast are supported by Hive Inspire Inc. and mentored by industry professionals in theatre, cabaret, music, and movement to bring this show to life.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When Saturday 28th February and Sunday 1st March
Time: 3.00pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Cabaret
Rating: PG
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Taxidermy
Presented by Tynan Corless (UK/AU)
Taxidermy is an absurd new piece of dark romance direct from the Edinburgh Fringe. The play follows a woman who, when faced with her early mortality takes matters into her own hands and seduces death himself. A silly but heartfelt Scottish dramedy about falling for the wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong way.
Written and Directed by Ten Malcolm (UK)
Performed by Ten Malcolm (UK) and Ty Gray (AU)
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Thursday 25th February – Sunday 1st March 2026
Time: 7.15pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: M
LIRIX IS HERE
Presented by Richard Fejo (NT)
“Best show at Darwin fringe” ALT.
“I loved the show and love the lyrics” JR.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Wednesday 25th February – Sunday 1st March 2026
Time: 6.00pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Music
Rating: M
In No Particular Order
Presented by Driftwood (SA)
Presenting their first ever Fringe show, Adelaide-based band Driftwood combines Classic Rock, Jazz and Blues ‘In No Particular Order’. Adding a unique, personal touch, Driftwood brings classics from artists such as Eric Clapton, TOTO, Dire Straits and Jamiroquai. Live music at Carclew 🎸🎶
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Sunday 1st March (one show only)
Time: 4.45pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Music
Rating: PG
How To Hold Up The Sky
Presented by Chinese International School (HK)
A contemporary mythology unfolding in a bustling city, telling three intertwined stories set in an airport, on a bus, and in an apartment.
The play explores themes of family, love, independence, and the burden of expectation, loosely drawing inspiration from the story of the Chinese goddess Nüwa, who’s sacrifice saved humanity.
Through the experiences of a daughter departing at an airport, a young man grappling with overwhelming news on a bus, and a woman reflecting on her childhood in an apartment, the narrative delves into the characters’ internal struggles and their relationships, ultimately questioning what it means to ‘hold up the sky’ for oneself and for others.
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Wednesday 4th – Friday 6th March
Time: 6.00pm and additional matiness at 1.00pm on Thursday 5th & Friday 6th March
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: PG
The Trash Garden
Presented by Padraig Bond (USA)
BEST PLAY at the 2024 NYC Fringe
Atlas and Evelyn live in a wasteland of plastic garbage. They are the last two people on Earth. In a reversal of the story of Adam and Eve, they perform and compete in elaborate games and imaginary stories. Theatre and human connection become refuge from climate grief and despair. Audiences can expect raucous laughter alongside deep examinations of the climate crisis, with excellent performances by internationally trained clowns from New York.
“★★★★ A deeply engaging tragicomedy for the end-times” Binge Fringe Magazine. (Edinburgh Fringe 2023)
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Thursday 5th – Monday 9th March 2026
Time: 7.15pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: M
UnLeesh
Presented by Elysia Hall (NSW)
An uppercut of unruly yarns certain to make you feel something. Don’t be scared. Take mummy’s hand. Let’s Rumba. Feelings evoked: Relief, Rage, Razzed.
Elysia is a 2023 RAW Comedy National Finalist, and a MICF Golden Gibbo Nominee.
“Elysia Hall has an appealing, blunt, withering attitude. She likes both a dirty joke and laying into the heterosexuals” – Chortle UK
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Saturday 7th – Monday 9th March
Time: 6.00pm
Duration: 50 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Rating: M
Doing a Bradbury
Presented by Annabel McConnachie (AU)
On the brink of his last Olympic chance, plucky Aussie speed skater Steven Bradbury accidentally summons the Devil. Haunted by a checkered skating history and buckling under the weight of the nation’s expectations, Steven wavers when he’s offered a fast pass to success in exchange for his soul.
Will he opt in to the Devil’s Faustian bargain and take home gold? Or will the price of victory prove too much?
“If you only see one ice-themed moral reckoning this decade, make it this one.” – The Infernal Times
“Goofy, glorious, and absolutely illegal in at least two winter sports federations.” – International Skating Union (allegedly)
“Just enough moral panic to keep the Catholics nervous.” – The Vatican Observer (also allegedly)
Where: Carclew Ballroom
When: Wednesday 4th – Sunday 8th March
Time: 8.30pm
Duration: 50 minutes
Genre: Theatre
Rating: PG
Stables Sessions
Presented by Carclew (SA)
Join us for two evenings of live music from Adelaide’s emerging artists, bands, and performers — surrounded by creativity and community! Bring along whatever fuels your inspiration — your songwriting, crafts, trinkets, half-finished crochet project, sticker collection, or any art you’d love to share.
★ Wednesday is a laid-back acoustic and stripped back night!
★ Friday is louder, with full-band sets!
We’ll also host an open mic both nights for anyone keen to try out new material in a relaxed, supportive space. A welcoming space for young creatives, music lovers, and makers — come create, connect, and unwind
Where: Carclew House & Grounds
When: Wednesday 18th and Friday 20th March
Time: 5.00 – 10.00pm
Duration: 5 hours
Genre: Community Event / Music
Rating: PG