It’s our favourite time of year again… Fringe season is here, and Adelaide is buzzing with incredible live performances! From side-splitting comedy and jaw-dropping physical feats to live music that will move you, there’s something for everyone. We’ve rounded up a few highlights that caught our eye; consider this your teaser of some of the amazing shows waiting for you this year.
THE SUMO SHOW HIRAKUZA
Dates: 13 Feb – 22 March
Time: 6pm (5pm on Sundays)
Venue: The Roundhouse, The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Making its first appearance outside of Osaka Japan, The Sumo Show HIRAKUZA, will bring its world-first theatrical experience exclusively to Adelaide, merging ancient sumo wrestling with comedy and jaw-dropping physicality. With dazzling visuals and immersive sound, experience sumo like never before as former pro wrestlers take the stage. Laugh and learn as they reveal rules, secret techniques, and behind-the-scenes stories in an entertaining show presented entirely in English, with guests even having the rare opportunity to suit up and challenge a sumo wrestler in the ring.
More information + tickets:
adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-sumo-show-hirakuza-af2026
MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE
Dates: 3 March – 15 March
Time: 7:50pm
Venue: The Gosling at Gluttony
Don your deerstalker, grab your magnifying glass and get your ‘finger of suspicion’ at the ready as you, the audience, become the author of an Agatha Christie-inspired masterpiece live on stage. At each show this extraordinarily talented company uses audience suggestions to create a unique, original and hilarious murder mystery just for you. All you have to do… is solve it!
Ms Gold poisoned at a synchronised swimming gala? Dr Blue exploded by cannon during a hot air balloon race? Professor Violet crushed to death at a Love Island recoupling? You decide! But will you guess whodunnit before the killer is revealed?
More information + tickets:
adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/murder-she-didn-t-write-af2026
THE GRATS
Dates: 27 Feb – 28 Feb
Time: 10pm
Venue: The Spiegeltent, The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Australia’s first musical comedy supergroup, The Grats will showcase a powerhouse blend of wit and music that celebrates sharp satire, harmony and hilarity in equal measure. It will feature a one-of-a-kind collective of Australia’s musical comedy scene including Gatesy, Rusty Berther, Sammy J, Andrew Hansen and Tom Gleeson.
More information + tickets:
adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-grats-af2026
WISH YOU WERE MINE
Dates: 3 March – 5 March
Time: 8:30pm
Venue: The Spiegeltent, The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Wish You Were Mine is a new live music and storytelling show from the creators of RocKwiz. Hosted by Australian media favourite, Brian Nankervis, and featuring the celebrated RocKwiz Orkestra, the show brings together two guest artists each night to explore and perform the songs they wish they’d written.
Through conversation, humour, and live performance, audiences are invited into a warm, revealing journey through the creative inspirations and musical passions of some of Australia’s most loved performers. The evening culminates in a unique duet, the song both artists agree they “wish they’d written”, creating a one-off moment of musical magic.
More information + tickets:
adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/wish-you-were-mine-af2026
TWENTY SIXTEEN
Dates: 19 Feb – 9 March
Time: 6:30pm, 8:30pm
Venue: The Fantail (open-air) at Gluttony
Featuring an all-star eight-piece band including Kylie Auldist (The Bamboos), Jaron Jay and Dusty Lee Stephensen (27 Club), this powerful new live rockumentary from the creators of 27 Club reclaims the year the music died. In 2016, the world lost icons including David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, Sharon Jones and more. Ten years on, this electrifying show celebrates their legacy and the songs that became the soundtrack to our lives.
More information + tickets:
adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/twenty-sixteen-af2026
