The world’s largest cabaret festival and Australia’s favourite winter festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, is turning 25 and in a birthday celebration like no other, audiences are invited to join the party and BLING IT ON with a contemporary, and star-studded line-up announced today!
Unwrapping her second program as Artistic Director, award-winning Australian actor, writer, and personality Virginia Gay presents the 25th Adelaide Cabaret Festival, showcasing world-class singers and storytellers throughout 77 performances over 12 nights, including 11 world premieres, 11 Australian exclusives and 9 Adelaide premieres by international artists from the USA (from New York to New Orleans) and United Kingdom, plus Australia’s best contemporary cabaret acts.
Audiences are invited to delight in cabaret and community from 5 – 21 June, kicking off with a special 25th birthday bash, the sold-out 2025 Variety Gala red-carpet opening night at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Headline artists performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre this year include:
Seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, composer, and producer Jacob Collier in an Australian exclusive for Adelaide Cabaret Festival on 7 & 8 June, with limited tickets available. Jacob’s incredible live performances will be filled with improvisation, audience participation and never-before heard arrangements, all delivered with Jacob’s incredible joyous spirit and palpable energy.
Superstar and Australian music royalty, Jessica Mauboy makes her Adelaide Cabaret Festival debut with the world premiere of her show, The Story of Me. This promises to be an intimate and unforgettable evening of music and stories on Saturday 14 June.
Theatrical tour de force, Bernadette Robinson’s Adelaide premiere show DIVAS sees Bernadette transform into musical icons showcasing the vocal stylings and stories of Piaf, Winehouse, Bassey, Streisand, Garland, Cyrus and Callas on 13 June.
One of Australia’s most beloved performers and former Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director, David Campbell brings his unmatched vocal energy to his show Good Lovin’ & More on 20 June.
Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon award winner of 2024 and international cabaret star, Reuben Kayereturns bigger, better and bolder (if that’s possible) with his hit show enGORGEd XXL on 21 June.
“25 years of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival! What a treat – what an achievement! Our beloved festival, which always feels like a big, sparkly party in the depths of winter, gets to party even harder this year because it’s our 25th birthday!” said Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director, Virginia Gay.
“We’re celebrating with beloved stars, both local and international, who have helped make and shape our legacy, and we’re introducing you to the trailblazers of the next 25 years, the movers and shakers right at the forefront of what cabaret might become. So, throw on something fabulous and come raise a glass with us!”
Performers lighting up the Dunstan Playhouse stage:
Davina and the Vagabonds direct from New Orleans, in an Adelaide exclusive. The bandleader extraordinaire delivers a riotous evening of toe-tapping, sequin shaking covers and originals over two nights. Plus, award-winning cabaret superstar, Michelle Brasier, fresh from a sold-out off-Broadway run delivers an all-singing, all-joking and a little heartbreaking show, Average Bear.
It wouldn’t be a 25th celebration without one of the original Adelaide Cabaret Festival performers who performed at the very first festival – living legend Carlotta. Australia’s favourite showgirl brings her show The Party’s Over to Dunstan Playhouse on 8 June.
Bobby Fox will deliver his sizzling old-school cool on 14 & 15 June with his world premiere show Mr. Entertainment and Australian music legends Vika and Linda Bull make their triumphant return with an intimate showcase of their beautiful voices in An Evening with Vika & Linda 12 & 13 June 12.
Not to be missed, is Trio with powerhouse Australian female vocalists, Jess Hitchcock, Fanny Lumsden and Alice Keith as they perform a vibrant tribute to the iconic album, Trio by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on 19 June. Festival Statesman Chorus return home to Adelaide for a one-night only celebration on 21 June with A Cappella Time Warp.
More sparkling highlights: The global phenomenon, immersing cabaret and circus, La Clique comes to party from 18 – 22 June at Space Theatre and continues their season after the festival, until 28 June.
Plus, ARIA Award winner, Clare Bowditch with special guest Aurora Kurth dissolves the boundaries between performer and audience in an evening of music, storytelling, surprise special guests and collective joy with Clare Bowditch’s Random Creative Adventure on 6 & 7 June.
Festival favourite, Rizo returns to Adelaide with her incredible new show Home on 7 & 8 June. And from New Orleans, the electrifying Judith Owen and her all-star band The Gentleman Callers, perform in an Australian premiere with Unapologetically Judith Owen – celebrating the ladies of 1940s and 50s jazz and blues on 13 & 14 June.
In an Adelaide exclusive, the festival’s favourite (and only) book club, Between the Covers returns with Annabel Crabb, Virginia Gay and Lur Alghurabi along with fabulous musical guests, as they converse, laugh and turn the pages on Helen Garner’s classic novel, The Children’s Bach on 15 June.
Rai Thistlethwayte of Thirsty Merc performs his homage to soul, funk, Motown and pop legend Stevie Wonder with his show Reimagining Stevie Wonder’s ‘Innervisions’ on 19 June and the popular Michelle Brasier’s Comedians On Stage Auditioning for Musicals is on 20 & 21 June.
Natalie Abbott reflects on love and loss with humour and heart with her Australian premiere show Bad Hand. It’s got music, humour and a few poker metaphors too on at Banquet Room 18 & 19 June.
Blinging On a new era of contemporary cabaret:
In a brand-new show commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Hayes Theatre Co, be prepared to be wowed in Tired Ass Showgirls featuring the exceptionally talented and talked about Seann Miley Moore and Brendan de la Hay – in a world premiere at Space Theatre on 6 & 7 June.
World music star and proud Gamilaraay manMitch Tambo who took the nation by storm with his spine-tingling rendition of John Farnham’s iconic You’re the Voice in language, will make his Adelaide Cabaret Festival debut on 12 & 13 June.
Best Newcomer Nominee at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Demi Adejuyigbe will be one to watch with the Australian premiere of his hit show Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip at Space Theatre 12 & 13 June. While Bullet Heart Club presents the Adelaide premiere of their show Sugar, featuring Tomáš Kantor in a theatrical, outrageous, silly and sexy performance, featuring songs from Kylie to Chappell Roan.
South Australian artists taking to the cabaret stage this year:
Joanne Hartstone has been awarded this year’s Frank Ford Commission with her show The Smart Girl’s Guide to Breaking Up, which sees Joanne (who was dumped six weeks before her wedding) turn her heartache in to a light and lively self-help cabaret.
In an in-development showcase commissioned by the festival, writers and performers Millicent Sarre (Class of Cabaret alumni) and Joseph Simons will present a new Australian musical, PRIMETIME on 12 June.
Hilarious additions to the festival’s 25th celebrations includeFrankie McNair who brings her alter ego to life in the hilarious Tabitha Booth and The Burton Brothers with 1925 a sketch comedy show set entirely in the year 1925.
Plus Marry Your Friends with Emilie Zoey Baker and Michael Nolan will be a joyful interactive ceremony featuring live music and celebrity celebrants. Sign the certificate, take photos and throw the bouquet on 8 June.
Those wanting to party on can revel in the divine and delicious chaos of Festival Late Nights, a different show each week, hosted by a different artist including Adelaide’s own Victoria Falconer, musical comedian Gillian Cosgriff and on the final weekend Virginia Gay will host the ultimate 25th Birthday Party.
The inspiring Class of Cabaret program returns, celebrating its 16th year and shining a light on the cabaret stars of tomorrow on 21 June at Dunstan Playhouse. Proudly supported by Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation through the Nathaniel O’Brien Scholarship.
Free and Fabulous: Cabaret stalwart, Dr Trevor Jones will again delight at the Quartet Bar by Corryton Burge from 6 – 21 June with Piano Man and his always popular Show Tunes Trevia on 8 & 12 June. Plus the much loved and always fabulous LGBTIQ+ Elders Dance Club returns to Artspace on Sunday 15 June.
An unmissable peek behind the cabaret curtain, 10 Years Photographing Adelaide Cabaret Festival is an exhibition showcasing the incredible portrait photos taken by Claudio Raschella. The exhibition runs from 6 June through to 31 August at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
“Happy 25th anniversary to Adelaide Cabaret Festival. We are so lucky to have the biggest cabaret festival in the world right here in Adelaide and I want to congratulate Virginia Gay and the team at Adelaide Festival Centre on putting together an incredible world-class program to celebrate this milestone. The festival continues to get bigger and better, and I encourage everyone to get along and experience the magic of Adelaide Cabaret Festival,” said The Hon Andrea Michaels MP, South Australian Minister for Arts.
“My congratulations to Adelaide Cabaret Festival on a remarkable 25 years. This world-renowned festival continues to captivate audiences and shines brightly in Adelaide Festival Centre’s year-round program of festivals,” said said Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director, Douglas Gautier AM.
“We look forward to celebrating with our vibrant audiences from South Australia and across the country as we welcome world-class performers on our stages.”
The 25th Adelaide Cabaret Festival takes place at the Adelaide Festival Centre and Her Majesty’s Theatre from 5 – 21 June 2025. For more information, visit: www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au for details.
Images: Virginia Gay – photo by Claudio Raschella | Jacob Collier – photo by Nicole Nodland | Davina Sowers from Davina and The Vagabonds (supplied) | La Clique photo by RogerShoots | Sean Miley Moore and Brendan De La Hay star in Tired Ass Showgirls – photo by Ash Penin | The Smart Girl’s Guide to Breaking Up – photo by Frank Lynch | Dr Trevor Jones at the Quartet Bar – photo by Claudio Raschella