2011 Adelaide Fringe Festival; Comedy Orphans Live At The Orphanage (charity show)

Cast of The Comedy Orphans Live At The Orphanage: (front row) Fletcher Jones (Smart Casual), Felicity Ward, Roger David (Smart Casual), (back row)Heath Franklin (Chopper Read), David Quirk, Sammy J and Randy the puppet with Heath McIvor. Image: laughingstock.com.au

Charitable Chuckles by Linh

What’s your taste in comedy? In the first week of previews for the 2011 Adelaide Fringe Festival, not only does new comedy agency Buxstock serve up some palatable performers, but money raised from the show goes to an orphanage in Thailand. While you chortle or guffaw at the smorgasbord of Australian comedians, orphaned children in Thailand get a bit more of life’s necessities such as food and clothing.
The Comedy Orphans Live At The Orphanage is to provide performers an opportunity to showcase some of their work in their upcoming shows.

The line-up of performers is impressive and include some favourites from previous Fringe appearances such as Felicity Ward, Heath Franklin’s Chooper and Sammy J and puppet-pal Randy. However, these comedy orphans do more than pick-pocketing you for charity; there is funny bone tickling, rib-cage cracking and side-splitting observational jokes. You’ll laugh till it hurts, but the unconventional comedy with some fruity language may not suit everyone’s taste.

Opening the show are musician/writer and comedian Sammy J and his purple puppet partner Randy who show off in a showdown of speedy quips and quirks from their upcoming show Bin Night. The two gel well and complement each other’s personalities without overshadowing the other.

Comedian David Quirk is the nice-guy of comedy (not as nice as Adam Hills though) with a darker side who muses about Thin Lizzie’s hit song Jailbreak, ponders the disadvantages of missing limbs and draws similarities between relationships and bushfire warnings. Quirk is a charmer whose comedy leaves you still laughing at the previous joke while he begins the next.

Well-known as the inquisitive little girl with ponytails from The Ronnie Johns Half Hour comedy show, Felicity Ward returns to Adelaide with a small sample from her new show Honestly. Throughout her fifteen minutes, Ward sometimes has the audience too entranced to even clap or speak (“I can’t hear a nod or a smile” she would say), but when finally let loose from her enchantment, the audience would let the laughter out. Ward incorporates, singing, music, audience participation and encounters with junkies of all kinds. Definitely a show to catch at this year’s Fringe Festival.

The boys from Smart Casual are also back in Adelaide for the Fringe after their sell-out show Same Mother, Different Fathers in 2010. They are smart men in casual wear or maybe casual men in smart wear, but their comedy is a blend of both – smart jokes delivered in a casual manner or vice versa. Fletcher Jones (with the beard) and Roger David (with the guitar) perform the popular ‘Hawk Song’, and some pieces from their new show The Story of Captain Entrée. They are a very funny and affable duo with the Aussie laconic humour that continues to win over audiences.

Writer/producer/comedian Heath Franklin has a cast of comedic characters in his repertoire but his most popular is the impersonation of controversial criminal Mark ‘Chopper’ Read. Chopper is back with more things that p*** him off and gives him the s***s, and is funnier when he picks on an unsuspecting audience member. He’ll be in Adelaide for his latest offering called Chopper’s Big F***en Late Night Show.
The performance was one night only and was 35 minutes late (scheduled to start at 11.15pm), but the wait was worth it as the comedy orphans did not disappoint.

2011 Adelaide Fringe Festival

Fringe Frivolities by Linh

The 2011 Adelaide Fringe Festival officially opens on Friday 18 February following an exciting and spectacular Fringe Opening Night Parade through the city streets. However, previews of various shows begin this week and continue next week, with some favourites, some regulars and some new performers testing the discerning taste of audiences.

The Garden of Unearthly Delights is already open for business with food and drink stalls aplenty, the side shows are revved up and the eclectic array of talent performing are streaming through the gates and all over the Garden, into venues such as the Spiegeltent, the Umbrella Revolution and Le Cascadeur.
Get along early to the Garden and stay late into the night while the weather is cool and comfortable for some Fringe-ing.

2010 Adelaide Cabaret Festival – Fabulous Food

Cabaret Cuisine by Linh

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival treats all your senses, from the sights and sounds of the wonderful artists during performances, to the taste, smell and feel of the food stalls. Throughout the festival, crowds of hungry cabaret-lovers dined on local fare including something enchanting. For the first time, Churroz, the enchanting Spanish doughnut, made an appearance at the Cabaret Festival and has won over some fans with a sweet-tooth for sugary-chocolate-caramel dough sticks.


Image: Linh

Image: Linh


Chocolate-caramel Churros. Image: Linh



I bought a tub of Tempting Churros – there were three in a serve, topped with chocolate sauce and drizzled with caramel sauce, served hot. The churros tasted better than the ones I ate during my trip to Melbourne.

Image: Linh

Squid sensations. Image: Linh


For seafood lovers, Squid Inc., provides the juiciest squids and calamari rings flavoured with lemon pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. The food comes in a cardboard cone, with a choice of sauces including tartare, tomato, barbecue and chilli as extra flavour or for dipping. I poured mine onto a plate for easy access and quick consumption.


Go 'Beyond India' for the best curries. Image: Linh


On my final night of the Cabaret Festival, I could not resist some Indian delights, so I headed for Beyond India. The menu consisted of some favourite Indian fare, both meat and vegetarian. I had the Mixed Vegetable Korma, with white steamed rice and large papadum. The delicious meal tasted spicy, tangy and savoury all at once and was very filling.

Indian indulgence. Image: Linh


The seating at the dining area varied from plastic round tables for up to four people, to a cosy and intimate lounge setting with a fire stand to keep the winter chills away. I snared a spot on one of the soft, comfortable, red and gold-striped seats near the coffee table. Hopefully, the lounge setting will return for the next Cabaret festival, as it proved a popular meeting spot for cabaret audiences having post-show drinks and interval snacks between shows.

Comfortable cabaret couches. Image: Linh

The 2010 Adelaide Cabaret Festival – Poster Artwork

Fifty Foot Female by Linh









Throughout mythology, literature and films there have been numerous gendered monsters, from the masculine monsters like Dracula and King Kong to the fearsome females such as Medusa and the Wicked Witch of the West (from The Wizard of Oz). Another thought would be that monsters do not have genders but exhibit various characteristics stereotypical of either male or female.

It is with some curiosity that the 10th Adelaide Cabaret Festival poster features Mitzi in a parody of the character Nancy from the film Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman. The poster of the original 1958 film shows Nancy holding a car which may signify an overpowering or threat to male supremacy, but the Adelaide Cabaret Festival is more explicit with an actual man being held. A clever alteration to the artwork is the inclusion of the Adelaide Festival Centre, over which Mitzi stands in all her glory.

The main difference could be the message conveyed between the two posters. In the film poster for Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman, Nancy looks like she is on an angry rampage in the heart of the city, and according to the film’s story line, Nancy is seeking revenge on her cheating husband and the authorities (all male) who have falsely claimed she is mentally unstable.

The 2010 Adelaide Cabaret Festival poster shows Mitzi as more of a gigantic spectacle than a threat, who is hard to ignore and pleasing to the eye. This could reflect the Adelaide Cabaret Festival’s image as a fantastic event that must not be missed and is the biggest thing in town.

The 2010 Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Fab Cab Fest by Linh

This year marks ten years of fabulous cabaret and musical theatre fun and entertainment for the Festive State (South Australia). Artistic Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, David Campbell has again delivered the musical goods to attract some of the best and brightest talents to Adelaide. The gorgeous Natalie Cole, effervescent Caroline O’Connor, superb tenor David Hobson and zany comic pianist Mark Nadler are among the 250 artists, playing over 120 performances across 16 days.

All performers come from a range of musical backgrounds and experiences, yet they are all equally exciting and excellent. This year there are more local talent, after some criticism about last year’s internationally-renowned stars edging out local musicians.
Of course, David Campbell cannot take all the credit for organising the world’s biggest cabaret event, with hundreds of volunteers and Festival Centre staff putting in the long hours to make the 10th Adelaide Cabaret Festival the best yet.

2010 Tasting Australia; Feast For The Senses in Adelaide, Sunday 2 May (Part Two)

The coveted Pasta Challenge Trophy. Image:Linh.

One of the events I attended at the 2010 Tasting Australia: Feast For The Senses, was the San Remo Pasta Challenge Celebrity Cook-Off hosted by the two Michaels – television personalities, Michael Angelakis and Michael Keelan from Channel Nine’s Out of the Blue programme.

The judges were Adelaide’s own chef extraordinaire Dorinda Hafner, Adam Swanson, who is the Executive Chef of Zucca Greek Mezze in Holdfast Shores and first-time international visitor, Rosemary Shrager, presenter of the hit UK television series Ladette to Lady and Rosemary Shrager's School for Cooks.
The brave contenders for the San Remo Pasta Celebrity Cook-off were 891 ABC Adelaide radio personality Carole Whitelock, Netball star of the Adelaide Thunderbirds Natalie von Bertouch, The Advertiser Newspaper’s Antimo Ianella and Melissa Rowland, also from the Thunderbirds.



Team One are Antimo Ianella and Melissa Rowland. Image:Linh.





Team Two are Natalie von Bertouch and Carole Whitelock. Image:Linh.


A large screen erected along the riverbank, displayed all the action and close-ups of the food, revealing the strengths and weaknesses of the celebrity cooks as they battled it out for culinary supremacy.
The hosts, Michael Angelakis and Michael Keelan, exchanged playful banter as they weaved in, out and around the challengers who concentrated hard and worked fast to finish their pasta dishes. The crowds watched, chatted and cheered on the cooks as the judges offered them some handy advice.

As Rosemary Shrager counted down the final seconds, the cooks scrambled to plate-up their pasta dishes for the judges to taste. I was barracking for Ant and Mel, but I noticed their dish didn’t look as delectable as Carole and Natalie’s pasta dish. Being the fickle type, I quickly changed my preferences to Carole and Natalie.
The judges, Dorinda, Adam and Rosemary, were in consensus that both teams failed to add enough seasoning to their pasta dishes to enhance flavour. Dorinda gave a valuable tip on seasoning the meat in advance before cooking. After much deliberation, the judges came to their decision.


The judges Dorinda Hafner, Adam Swanson and Rosemary Shrager dish up the pasta for the taste test. Image:Linh.



Rosemary Shrager gives Natalie von Bertouch and Carole Whitelock her assessment on their pasta dish. Image:Linh.




Dorinda Hafner gives Antimo Ianella and Melissa a few comments on their pasta dish. Image:Linh.


The winners were…..
Carole Whitelock and Natalie von Bertouch.
Carole and Natalie each received a fabulous Pasta Challenge trophy, before Antimo and Melissa were presented with cool Pasta Makers.

Winners Announcement. Video:chameleonfun.



The San Remo Pasta Challenge Celebrity Cook-Off was an exciting and fun event for all the family. I will definitely return next time to see who is daring enough to take on the next Pasta Challenge and who the judges will be to crown the next pasta dish victors.

2010 Tasting Australia runs from 29 April to 6 May at various venues across Australia.

2010 Tasting Australia; Feast For The Senses in Adelaide, Sunday 2 May (Part One)

For a weekend, Adelaide turned from the City of Churches into the hub of fantastic Australian food and wines. Adelaideans, interstate visitors and tourists flocked to the banks of the River Torrens in Elder Park to indulge in the best food, wines, family entertainment, cooking demonstrations and a celebrity Pasta Cook-Off presented by San Remo.

Celebrity guest chefs, television and radio personalities participated in various culinary challenges as audiences cheered them encouragingly. All of the other events were free, with some sessions requiring registration to attend, as seats are limited.
I was avoiding most of the wine stalls (as I don’t drink alcohol), but hovered like a moth to a candle around the food outlets where delicious aromas wafted in the air while mouth-watering plates of food were served.

My first dish was double Samosas with a garlic naan and mint sauce, an entrée from Harvest of India. The naan bread was light and not too fluffy, with a smooth texture on the palate. The naan did not go soggy when dipped into the mint sauce, and the sauce was not too runny, and it had a delicate minty sweetness.




The Samosas were larger than most served in restaurants, and had more filling. The outer crust was a golden brown colour, crispy and not too dry. The filling (vegetarian) was still hot, tasted and smelt divine.





Forty minutes later, I was lining up for my mains, a Prawn Plate, at the very popular Oysters and Seafood stall. The Prawn Plate consisted of five shelled prawns, potato wedges with Mango Honey and Sweet Chilli sauce. Other choices of sauces included garlic butter or sweet chilli sauce. The prawns were small, but succulently splendid. The wedges were lightly fried and tasted fine, but were superb if dipped into the Mango Honey and Sweet Chilli sauce.







As I ate, I watched the elegant black swans glide gracefully along on the River Torrens, passing onlookers and paddle-boats. Their black feathers gleamed in the sunshine as they dipped their red beaks in and out of the water.













Over an hour later, I made a beeline to Cocolat for my dessert – the most expensive on the menu. The Choc Waffles with Gelati and marshmallows was the most appetising item compared to the myriad of gelati, waffles and hot chocolate drinks. I chose the Ferrero Rocher Gelati to accompany my chocolate waffle and a few large fluffy marshmallows on the side. Final verdict: heavenly and all kinds of awesome.




2010 Tasting Australia runs from 29 April to 6 May at various venues across Australia.