Daniel Kitson And Gavin Osborn: The Ballad Of Rodger And Grace
Bosco Theatre, Tue Mar 11
Daniel Kitson often makes jokes about words being the tools of his trade, but the way this British comedian uses language is far from a joke. Kitson’s vocabulary is impressive enough on its own, but in this afternoon show that’s more story than comedy, Kitson strings words together like a master craftsman. The tale he tells is a gorgeously cheeky story of love that overcomes first show sound problems and the heat and is performed in partnership with UK singer/songwriter Gavin Osborn. Osborn’s musical additions to the story are beautiful and poignant. The Ballad of Rodger and Grace is a beguiling way to spend an afternoon in a wooden theatre in a garden listening to someone read you a story and sing you a song.
Danielle O’Donohue
The Ballad Of Rodger And Grace continues at Theater Bosco at 3.30pm until Sat Mar 15.

The Glass Boat
SoCo Cargo, Tue Mar 11
There’s a fine line between earnest, unconventional theatre and infuriatingly banal prose masquerading as art. The Glass Boat is a poorly written, scrappily orated piece of stage offal that had its audience gnashing their teeth long before their hour of hell had passed. If we could blame naivety, maybe it would be easier to pass this off as simply a miscued presentation from a bunch of students finding their feet. Unfortunately the troupe behind this theatrical equivalent of a kick to the crotch have previously been rewarded plaudits at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, thus giving the poor darlings a false sense of hope that The Glass Boat contains either humour, pathos or stunning stagecraft. Let us be the ones to bring the wannabe actors back to earth; The Glass Boat contains nothing but pointless sketches, awful music and painful exchanges that show no sign of inspiration or talent. There’s nothing post-modern about boring an audience into suicidal mindsets.
Scott McLennan
The Glass Boat continues at SoCo Cargo at 7.30pm until Sat Mar 15.

6 quick Chicks
Le Cascadeur, Tue Mar 11
6 Quick Chicks present five vignettes each of their own flavours. MC Mavis Brown is cheeky yet repressed but does a great job of introducing each act. Overly excited American motivational speaker Kitty Green tries to change the 98% ‘I don’t care’ energy within the room. Marcel Marceau Far So Good is the International School Of Mime reject whose dance moves are so bad it’s funny. Yoga teacher Sadaptana, clad in cheesy eighties lycra, a neck brace and elbow and knee pads performs yoga for the uninitiated and unintimidated. Russian Japanese sensualist from Italy, Vladimira, has an onion as the object of her affection which she cooks into a frenzy. Adelaide/Nashville singer Patsy De Cline closed the night with songs of love, revenge and heartbreak. It’s all very entertaining and a great chuckle!
Catherine Blanch
6 Quick Chicks continues at Le Cascadeurat 9.30pm until Thu Mar 13.

Scatterbrain
Griffins Head Hotel, Tue Mar 11
Trav Nash, a local Adelaide comic, bounced onto the stage full of random energy and regaled his small audience with a scattered journey through his life. Starting with his definitely weird relationship with his mother, we ventured into all aspects of Trav’s tortured love life and slightly bizarre fantasies (like his ‘future kitty’ and how the world should be remodelled in the image of Sesame Street). There are some parts of Scatterbrain and Trav’s multiple personalities that work quite well and will have you giggling along, while there are other parts that are a bit beyond. All up, there is room to evolve the better parts of this set to make the complete 45 minutes work. Go see him, just remember it is classified 18+.
Sandy Werner
Scatterbrain continues at Griffins Head Hotel at 8.45pm until Sat Mar 15.

The Cherry Pickers
Star Theatres, Tue Mar 11
A poignant look at racial injustices in Australia’s history. Set in the mid 1900s before Aboriginal people were recognised as citizens, this play contrasts black and white man’s laws. The Cherry Pickers worked long hours for low wages, unable to access government support. If your family was hungry or homeless in the off season, your only option was to front up to the mission and pretend you’d found Jesus. Old women cried about earlier days when white men deliberately shot the ‘full-blooded women breeders’ and poisoned food and water supplies. The Cherry Pickers fought to re-find their place in a rapidly changing political landscape, a land where they had once been free. Listen to the elders tell significant stories around the campfire with damper, a sharp wit, tobacco, optimism and a flagon of port.
Angie Starr & K*m Mann.
The Cherry Pickers continues at Star Theatres, Hilton at various times until Sat Mar 15.

Nicky Talacko In Cinder-Effin-Rella
Rhino Room, Tue Mar 11
“Read me Cinderella please, Nicky.” The beseeching voice of five-year-old Emma, overflowing with infinite potential, provides the focus around which Nicky Talacko’s rambling yarns are woven into a colourful, funny tapestry of families, fairytales and fantasies. The result is a rich, multi-layered, pointed yet affectionate story of an Australian girl growing to womanhood, revealing a self-perpetuating female culture that really should know better but inexplicably doesn’t. In her natural, superbly crafted narrative, Ms Talacko populates her bedroom with a crowd of personalities while growing up all over again before our eyes. The stand-out scene was the oh-so-wrong first romantic kiss and ensuing spiral of anguish drawing the audience all the way down. With plenty of hilarious moments (and not an ‘eff’ word in sight), these personal but universal confidences deserves to sell out.
Kate Battersby and Ian Newton
Nicky Talacko In Cinder-Effin-Rella continues at the Rhino Room at 6.30pm until Sat Mar 15.

La Dispute By Pierre Marivaux
Theatre On Ifould, Tue Mar 11
This production of Marivaux’ Garden Of Eden-esque play is presented by The Company Of Muses, and the young troupe does a good job of bringing life to the performance. The four actors portraying the ‘innocents’ do justice to the required range of emotions and urges, and the on-stage movements are largely well-choreographed. These four are well supported by the remaining cast, each of whom has appeal. There’s lust, anger, jealousy and violence sprinkled with some occasional humour. This story of temptation, betrayal and fidelity is well told and easily understood. The set, sound, special effects and lighting combine to create an atmosphere that moves from the tranquil to the tempestuous, and director Amanda Portus can be pleased with the efforts of all.
David Robinson
La Dispute continues at Theatre On Ifould, Christian Brothers College Gate at 7.30pm until Sat Mar 15.A Slip Of A Boy

Fringe Factory Theatre – Tea Room, Tue Mar 11
This is a simple story regarding the folly of pursuing perfection. Like the earning of three wishes, the attempt to build the perfect partner is fraught with danger. A Slip Of A Boy is performed with passion and power by the two principles; a fact made even more noticeable in the sweltering Adelaide heat. Never shirking from the physical, the actors move around the stage, and around each other, with real meaning. The dialogue is interesting and thought-provoking, although at times it was little difficult to discern – largely due to the venue’s acoustics. The set and costumes are effectively minimal; the real strength of the performance lies with the two actors.
David Robinson

A Slip Of A Boy continues at Fringe Factory Theatre – Tea Room, at 7.30pm until Sun Mar 16.