As I look over my year’s attendances, again I saw less of the festivals – the Cabaret Festival, Fringe Festival and OzAsia in particular. With several notable exceptions, State Theatre Company South Australia had a less impressive year than in 2024.
The second-tier independents also remained quiet. Brink produced a work under the State Theatre umbrella but new projects still remain in the pipeline. We again lament the demise of RUMPUS and the defunding of the excellent Slingsby remains a travesty. David Mealor’s Flying Penguin Productions celebrated twenty years of work and we hope for more of that calibre. The new energy at Goodwood Theatre and Workshops becomes ever more welcome.
Despite the chronically diminished activity (support for the arts both Federal and State remains woefully niggardly) 2025 has nevertheless brought excellent and memorable performances and this survey accounts for only some of them.
But it must be said again that decades of neglect (compounded by the impact of COVID) have damaged the continuity and momentum for many 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 2025 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
Housework by Emily Steel. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company, South Australia in association with Adelaide Festival Centre.
Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee. Directed by Peter Goers.
Holden Street Theatres.
American Song by Joanna Murray-Smith. Directed and designed by David Mealor. Flying Penguin Productions in association with the Goodwood Theatre and Studios.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Touring Productions
Innocence, Composer Kaija Saariaho, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Clement Mao-Takacs, Directed by Simon Stone. Adelaide Festival.
Complete Works: Table Top Shakespeare, Forced Entertainment, Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre.
Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, Featuring Stephen Rea, Directed by Vicky Featherstone, Landmark Productions. Adelaide Festival.
Hewa Rwanda -Letter to the Absent written and performed by Dorcy Rugamba. Music by Majnun. Elder Hall, Adelaide Festival.
Club Amour/Café Muller Choreographed by Boris Charmatz and Pina Bausch. Tanztheater Wuppetal Pine Bausch + Terrain Boris Charmatz. Festival Theatre. Adelaide Festival.
Best Fringe Productions
Shellshocked. Written and directed by Philip Stokes, performed by Jack Stokes and Lee Bainbridge, The Arch -Holden Street Theatres. Presented by HST with Richard Jordan Productions, 412 in association with Harrogate Theatre, LBT & Pleasance.
Why I shoved a Flare Up My Arse For England. Written and performed by Alex Hill. Directed by Sean Turner. The Studio- Holden Street Theatres. Presented by HST’s Edinburgh Fringe Award in association with Joshua Beaumont, Matthew Emeny and Roxy Dog.
Limbo -The Return. Presented by Strut & Fret. The Spiegeltent, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Kadlitpina/Rundle Park.
Garry Star Complete Classic Penguins. Le Cascadeur, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Kadlitpina/Rundle Park.
Best Cabaret/ Music Theatre
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Text by John Cameron Mitchell/Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask, Directed by Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis. Queens Theatre, Adelaide Festival
Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Divas . Performed by Bernadette Robinson. Devised by Bernadette Robinson and devised and directed by Simon Phillips. Musical director Mark Jones. Her Majesty’s Theatre. Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
Trio. The album Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. Performed by Jess Hitchcock, Fanny Lumsden and Freya Josephine Hollick. Dunstan Playhouse. Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
Best Lead Performances (Female)
Emily Taheny. Housework by Emily Steel. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company, South Australia in association with Adelaide Festival Centre.
Martha Lott. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee. Directed and designed by Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres.
Marina Prior. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Christie Whelan Browne. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Ksenja Logos. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Kathryn Adams. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Supporting Performances (Female)
Susie Youssef. Housework by Emily Steel. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company, South Australia in association with Adelaide Festival Centre.
Lucia Mastrantone. Looking for Alibrandi, by Vidya Rajan, based on the book by Melina Marchetta. Directed by Stephen Nicolazzo. Stat Theatre Company South Australia and Brink Productions.
Alana Iannace. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Jessica Corrie. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee. Directed and designed by Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres.
Best Lead Performances (Male)
Seann Miley Moore. Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Text by John Cameron Mitchell/Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask, Directed by Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis. Queens Theatre, Adelaide Festival
Brant Eustice. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee. Directed and designed by Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres.
Nathan O’Keefe. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Jimi Bani. Dear Son. Based on the book by Thomas Mayo. Adapted by Isaac Drandic & John Harvey. State Theatre Company South Australia and Queensland Theatre.
Renato Musolino. American Song by Joanna Murray- Smith. Directed and designed by David Mealor. Flying Penguin Productions in association with the Goodwood Theatre and Studios.
Laurence Boxhall. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Supporting Performances (Male)
Darcy Wain. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Chris Asimos. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee. Directed by Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres.
Kirk Page. Dear Son. Based on the book by Thomas Mayo. Adapted by Isaac Drandic & John Harvey. State Theatre Company South Australia and Queensland Theatre.
Jono Darby. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Scenic Designs
Ailsa Paterson. Housework by Emily Steel. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company, South Australia in association with Adelaide Festival Centre.
Jonathan Oxlade. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Casey Van Sebille & Stuart Boag. The Construct by JW Smith, directed by Catherine Purling, featuring Fig Kershaw, No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Kathryn Sproul. American Song by Joanna Murray-Smith. Directed and designed by David Mealor. Flying Penguin Productions in association with the Goodwood Theatre and Studios.
Mark Thompson. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Lighting Designs
Nigel Levings. Housework by Emily Steel. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company, South Australia in association with Adelaide Festival Centre.
Matt Scott. Kimberly Akimbo, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Mitchell Butel. State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company.
Nic Mollison. The Construct by JW Smith, directed by Catherine Purling, featuring Fig Kershaw, No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Nic Mollison. American Song by Joanna Murray Smith. Directed and designed by David Mealor. Flying Penguin Productions in association with the Goodwood Theatre and Studios.
Gavin Norris. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Best Music Scores/Sound Design
Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis. Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Text by John Cameron Mitchell/Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask, Directed by Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis.Queens Theatre, Adelaide Festival
Andrew Poppleton. Kimberly Akimbo. A Musical, Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Resori, Directed by Mitchell Butel, Musical Director, Kim Purling.
Quentin Grant. American Song by Joanna Murray-Smith. Directed by David Mealor, Flying Penguin Productions,
Andrew Howard. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia.
Jamie Hornsby. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Shannon Rush. State Theatre Company South Australia
Best Classical and Contemporary Music Performances
Elder Hall Lunchtime Concerts
Swan Songs Danil Trifonov and Matthias Goerne, works by Schubert, Town Hall, Adelaide Festival
The Tallis Scholars with Peter Phillips, Adelaide Town Hall.
Adelaide Chamber Singers. Raise You. Conducted by Carl Crossin. St Peter’s Cathedral
Lather performing the works of Frank Zappa. The Gov.
Best Touring Music Performances
Hania Rani, Adelaide Festival.
Mike Stern, The Gov.
John Cale , Illuminate, Hindley Music Hall.
Daoiri Farrell, Trinity Sessions Goodwood.
Bill Frisell Trio, The Gov.
Cowboy Junkies, Woodville Town Hall.
Best WOMADelaide Performances
PJ Harvey
Talisk
Bonny Light Horseman
Satish Vyas & U Rajesh
Nils Frahm
Most Intriguing Performances
The Childhood of the World. (Work in Progress) Slingsby. Waterside.
The Construct by JW Smith, directed by Catherine Purling, featuring Fig Kershaw, No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Future Present. 4 Playwrights. 4 Directors. 4 Actors. Theatre Republic, Goodwood Theatre.
Scenes with Girls by Miriam Battye, directed by Ashton Malcolm, Deus ex Femina, Goodwood Theatre.
Productions/Events I Regret Not Seeing
The Hard Quartet. The Gov.
Adelaide Chamber Singers 40th Celebration. St Peters Cathedral
Romeo et Juliette by Charles Gounod. State Opera South Australia
Harvey by Mary Chase. Featuring Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres.
Opera for the Dead, Monica Lim & Mindy Meng Wang, The Odeon, OzAsia.
Best wishes for 2026. Our artists have been amazing but these remain difficult times. They need our admiration and support. Even more.
Murray Bramwell
December 20, 2025.