Early Tease for 2019 Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Six early release shows and some new spaces have been announced for the 2019 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

In an Australian exclusive and premiere, global cabaret legend Ute Lemper will perform Rendezvous with Marlene for one night only at Thebarton Theatre. The German chanteuse and festival headliner re-lives a three-hour telephone exchange she had with Marlene Dietrich in 1988.

In another Australian first, award-winning immersive show The Swell Mob from the UK will transport audiences into an historical epoch filled with thieves, fogle-hunters, dandies and deception. Flabbergast Theatre will perform throughout the festival's 16 days and nights.

Musical theatre performer and TV star Fiona Choi (The Family Law, The Let Down, Rent) brings to life the story of Hollywood’s first Chinese movie star and international style icon, Anna May Wong in Dragon Lady: The many lives and deaths of Anna May Wong. This intimate performance will provoke questions about cultural identity and ambition through musical numbers.

Australian cabaret icon Paul Capsis will light up rock music’s dark side in Paul Capsis with Jethro Woodward and the Fitzroy Youth Orchestra at The Famous Spiegeltent. Capsis belts out hits by artists including Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Lana Del Ray, The Doors and Led Zeppelin.

In a world premiere, Adelaide choreographer Larissa McGowan will perform Cher – exploring the persona and characters of the ultimate pop chameleon through contemporary dance.

And comedian Dan Ilic (of ABC’s Hungry Beast fame) and Triple J’s Lewis Hobba will savage the news in fast paced, satirical panel show A Rational Fear – it’s like Q&A on crack.

Another hot ticket, Megan Mullally and her band Nancy And Beth is the punk/vaudeville heart-child of two friends - Megan Mullally and Stephanie Hunt who pick dope songs and sing them while dancing and wearing matching costumes.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director Julia Zemiro says, “I am delighted to announce our early release shows, it’s an exhilarating mix of things to come.

“Classic German cabaret, TV folk as you’ve not seen them before, a dash of politics, old Hollywood glory, a cabaret favourite re-invented, a dance mash up plus an immersive show that will be on every night of the festival! Mes amis... this is just the beginning.”

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says, “This year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival line-up may be our most diverse and exciting yet, with many Australian exclusives and premieres.

“Securing German cabaret star Ute Lemper’s only Australian performance is a great coup for Adelaide Cabaret Festival and it’s just the beginning of what’s to come this year.

“Julia Zemiro’s captivating vision brings new life to the festival in its nineteenth year.”

The world's biggest and best cabaret festival gets underway from 7-22 June 2019. Adelaide Cabaret Festival's full program will launch in April.

Tickets on sale 3 February www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au or BASS: 131 246

Tickets for Ute Lemper on sale 4 February www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au or

www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Images: Ute Lemper - Rendezvous with Marlene - credit Andreas Reimann and Paul Capsis - credit Mandy Hall.