As I look over my year’s attendances, I saw less of the festivals – the Cabaret Festival and OzAsia in particular. State Theatre Company South Australia had a strong year with outstanding attendances but the second-tier independents remained fairly quiet. After a long and accomplished stint Chris Drummond announced his departure from Brink and the promising projects coming from RUMPUS came to an untimely end with the termination of the Bowden lease. Windmill and Slingsby featured in the Festival program but were mostly touring elsewhere. There are also many solo performances listed and therefore fewer supporting actor listings. Let us hope cast numbers will start to grow again.

Despite the diminished activity (support for the arts both Federal and State remains woefully niggardly) 2023 has brought many excellent and memorable performances and this survey accounts for only some of them. Again this year we have seen how decades of neglect (compounded by the impact of COVID) have damaged the continuity and momentum for artists – not only those beginning careers but also those well into their work lives.

This vocation is an honourable calling but it also brings a level of sacrifice and insecurity that needs remedy. Too many people are subsidising their art. We need live performance more than ever and we need to fully support and fund the army of gifted artists and creatives who enrich our experience and our imaginations.

“When you hear music,“ jazz saxophonist Eric Dolphy once remarked, “After it’s over, it’s gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.”

In varying degrees that is true of all live performances. They have their moment, their season, and then are gone. Sometimes they remain vivid, but eventually, even excellent productions and outstanding performances drift into imperfect recollection and generalised hearsay. Maggie Smith once remarked- “Every performance is a ghost.”

I hope this website, for all its sometimes unwelcome opinions, is a useful record of some of the notable activity in Adelaide this year.

I want to thank all the companies and individuals who have generously invited me to performances in 2023 and to acknowledge your continuing commitment and achievement.

Several years ago when I posted my list of Best Of’s, among the many online comments and responses came the vinegary remark- “Who cares ?” The answer to that question is that I care. And audiences, friends of the artists, and their peers care. Outstanding work deserves to be recognised and warmly applauded. My admiration for all concerned is greater than ever.

Here is a list of my selections for this year – not in any rank order, and by no means all that deserve mention.

Best Adelaide Productions

The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel.

State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Prima Facie by Suzie Miller. Directed by David Mealor. State Theatre Company South Australia.

Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan with Johnny Donahoe. Directed by Yasmin Gurreeboo. State Theatre Company South Australia.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company.

The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Best Touring Productions

A Little Life. Based on the novel by Hanya Yanagihara. Directed by Ivo van Hove. International Theater Amsterdam. Adelaide Festival.

Grey Rock. Written and directed by Amir Nizar Zuabi. Remote Theatre Project, Palestine. Adelaide Festival.

The Sheep Song. FC Bergman Toneelhuis, Belgium. Adelaide Festival.

Made in China 2.0. Wang Chong and Emma Valente. Malthouse Theatre.

OzAsia Festival.

Best Fringe Productions

Mustard. Written and performed by Eva O’Connor. Fishamble in association with Joanne Hartstone and Sunday’s Child. Holden Street Theatres.

The King of Taking. Created and performed by Thom Monckton. Mulled Whine Productions. Holden Street Theatres.

Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me. By Philip Stokes. Performed by Jack Stokes. Lawrence Batley, KETCHUP Productions & Richard Jordan. Holden Street Theatres.

Bonnie Fechters. Songs and Stories of Hope & Resistance. Devised and performed by Morna Burdon. The Warehouse Theatre. 8 Unley Road.

Best Cabaret/ Music Theatre

An Australian Songbook. Robyn Archer with George Butrumlis, Cameron Goodall and Ennio Pozzebon. Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

The Rocky Horror Show. Written and created by Richard O’Brien. Directed by Christopher Luscombe. Adelaide Festival Centre.

I Swallowed a Moon Made of Iron. Composed and performed by Njo Kong Kie . Based on the factory poetry of Xu Lizhi. Music Picnic X Creative Links. OzAsia Festival.

Best Lead Performances (Female)

Claudia Karvan. The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Caroline Craig. Prima Facie by Suzie Miller. Directed by David Mealor. State Theatre Company South Australia.

Zahra Newman. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company.

Tilda Cobham-Hervey. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Elizabeth Hay. The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Best Supporting Performances (Female)

Ksenja Logos. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Rachel Burke. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Best Lead Performances (Male)

Nathan Page. The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Jimi Bani. Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan with Johnny Donahoe. Directed by Yasmin Gurreeboo. State Theatre Company South Australia.

Luke Carroll. At What Cost ? by Nathan Maynard. Directed by Isaac Drandic and Nathan Maynard. State Theatre Company South Australia. A Belvoir Street Production.

Rashidi Edward. The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Best Supporting Performances (Male)

Mark Saturno. The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Yazeed Daher. The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Chris Pitman. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Best Scenic Designs

Kathryn Sproul. Prima Facie by Suzie Miller. Directed by David Mealor. State Theatre Company South Australia.

And

Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan with Johnny Donahoe. Directed by Yasmin Gurreeboo. State Theatre Company South Australia.

Ailsa Paterson. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company.

Jonathan Oxlade. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Meg Wilson. The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Best Lighting Designs

Nigel Levings. The Goat Or, Who is Sylvia ? by Edward Albee. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-producer Sydney Theatre Company.

Goven Ruben. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company.

Trent Suidgeest. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Chris Petridis. The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Best Music Scores/Sound Design

Quincy Grant. The River That Ran Uphill. As told by Edgell Junior. Directed by Andy Packer. Slingsby. Adelaide Festival.

Kym Purling, Victor Rounds, Calvin Welch (as Jimmy Powers Trio)

/Andrew Howard.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company.

Jason Sweeney/ James Oborn. The Garden by Emily Steel. Directed by Corey McMahon. Theatre Republic.

Max Lyandvert. The Dictionary of Lost Words Adapted by Verity Laughton. From the novel by Pip Williams. Directed by Jessica Arthur. State Theatre Company South Australia. Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.

Best Classical and Contemporary Music Performances

Messa da Requiem by Verdi. Ballett Zurich. Choreography Christan Spuck.

Conducted by Johannes Fritzsch. Adelaide Festival

Steven Osborne (Piano). Ukaria Cultural Centre.

Elder Conservatorium of Music. Lunchtime Series 1.

Lather. Performing the Music of Frank Zappa. The Gov.

Piers Lane. (Piano). Harris International Piano Series.

Adelaide Chamber Choir Festival. Program 5 . Finale.

Best Touring Music Performances

Milk Carton Kids with Vera Sola. Her Majesty’s. Adelaide Guitar Festival

The Music of Jeff Beck. Her Majesty’s. Adelaide Guitar Festival

Robert Forster. The Candle and the Flame tour. Trinity Sessions

Dave Graney, Clare Moore and The Coral Snakes. 30^th Anniversary Tour. Night of the Wolverine. The Gov.

Paul McCartney. Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Happy Mondays. The Gov.

Kraftwerk. Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre.

Best WOMADelaide Performances

Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. Stage 3.

Billy Bragg. Stage 3

Justin Adams and Mauro Durante. Zoo Stage

Rizwan Muazzam Qawwals. Stage 3.

Florence + The Machine. Stage 1

Most Intriguing Performances

The River That Ran Uphill. As told by Edgell Junior. Directed by Andy Packer. Slingsby. Adelaide Festival.

Dogs of Europe. Belarus Free Theatre. Adelaide Festival.

The Sheep Song. FC Bergman Toneelhuis, Belgium. Adelaide Festival.

Made in China 2.0. Wang Chong and Emma Valente. Malthouse Theatre.

OzAsia Festival.

Productions/Events I Regret Not Seeing

Kronos- Five Decades . Adelaide Festival.

Suicide by Nikolai Erdman. Directed by Brad Eustice. Red Phoenix.

Future:Present : Plays by Emily Steel, Sarah Peters, Sam Lau, Anthony Nocera. Theatre Republic.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl. Directed by Tim Overton. Wickedly Good Productions.

The Wailers. The Gov.

Best wishes for 2024. We can but hope for more assured and predictable times. We are still some way from the Old Normal. More likely this is already the New. Our artists have been amazing but they haven’t yet regained full confidence and momentum. They need our admiration and support. Even more.

Murray Bramwell

December 21, 2023.