This is one of the venus within The Garden of Unearthly Delights. I attended a performance of The…read moreMagnets there last night as part of the 2014 Adelaide Fringe. I love the fringe, the garden and I LOVED The Magnets. However, I did not love the venue. Its location in the garden means that it spends most of the day in direct sun light. This means that, even on days like yesterday where the weather was quite pleasent, it is hot inside the venue. The particular act had got around that by hadning out free fans (that actually had the bands promo flyer on both sides) however, it was still quite uncomfortable in there. To add to the discomfort - the seats are VERY close togther. I understand the need to have as many people in the venue as possible - however, when the show is only half sold (like last nights was) they could have removed a seat or two from the floor level to put a little more space in between. I was with a group of 5 other friends and we did feel somewhat like we were sat on top of each other. But the worst issue within this venue was the sound. Now I do have some experience in theatre venues - so I do have an understanding for how difficult it must be to mix sound on the fly for so many different acts, however, I feel that the problem in this venue was the size, design, and overall volume of the sound system. The show that I saw was an accappella singing group - which means ALL of the sound was coming from their voices, however, I came out of the venue and my hearing had been effected by the volume of the sound. As I said - I totally understand that it is difficult to run the number of venues that are in the Garden, and also to run this venue with the number of different shows that are in there - however, in this case, a couple of small things could have made a world of difference.

You almost forget you're in Channel 9 when you sit amongst the tables out the front of a 70s yellow…read morestone building in the middle of North Adelaide. Perhaps the wanna be Hollywood star expected more lights, camera, action about the place! Never the less the programming at this Fringe venue is really unique with young artists getting a chance to showcase their talents in tales of career building, home and comedy. The main venue consists of great tiered seating in plastic TV station chairs and allows the artists to transform the venue how they like - great sound and lighting. And then there is the Chapel of Love - well that is a must and a highlight for all. Marrying best friends, lovers, 3 girls at once (yes I witnessed this) or even you to your mobile phone or dog! Thanks to the talents of Elvis (who had a gorgeous latin american accent) and some music this was a wonderful lighthearted experience. The bar has a good selection of beer and wine and the menu of hot dogs, pop corn, ice cream and nachos is cheap and good quality for what you pay for it. There is a great atmosphere here on a warm summers night and a perfect chance to see a few shows in one at this intimate Fringe venue.

Australian Dance Theatre is now housed in the historic Wonderland Ballroom on Belair Road in…read moreHawthorn. They are the oldest professional contemporary dance company in Australia and were formed right here in South Australia. ADT host dance and fitness classes catering for adults as well as providing a rehersal and performance space. Courses offered include ballet for adults, beginners and intermediate contemporary, jazz dance, pilates and dance fit. The Ballroom continues to be used by the Dancing Association of South Australia for ballroom classes and competitions but the fate of the vanue is secured via ADT's tenancy. Great place for adults who would like to start/ restart/ continue dancing.

I've only seen 2 productions here but already I'm a fan…read more The first was a powerful play about early onset dementia with a cast that ranged from 11 years old upwards. I found it hauntingly brilliant, and feel it's a unique story that will stay with me forever. The second was a production put together in a week by the Senior Ensemble and revolved around a horders collection. So cleverly performed and well acted it will be interesting to see if 'Risk' develops into a commercial production in the future. Keep a lookout for Urban Myth shows - so far they're well worth seeing.

From the owner: Urban Myth Theatre Company has existed for 32 years to provide quality arts programs that offer…read moreyoung people and emerging artists a safe environment to develop their skills both artistic and personal. The company's programs are staffed by appropriate professional artists ensuring excellence, relevance and inclusivity. Urban Myth Theatre Company is an internationally recognised producer of high quality youth theatre. The company is consistently praised through the press, by educators, by peers and by audiences for its superior work both creatively and with the young people of the membership. Urban Myth has travelled with shows and its workshop programs regionally, nationally and internationally and has won many awards throughout its history.

Part of the University of Adelaide campus, this lecture theatre is the latest addition amongst…read moremany. Built as a modern architectural marvel as opposed to some of the more traditional lecture halls, the Braggs is the second largest lecture theatre on campus (right after the Scott Theatre). Equipped with comfy seating, high tech additions and large whiteboards, this place does host Maths lectures very well. Just don't sit too far back otherwise it may be difficult to see the screen up the front as the Braggs, unlike Scott Theatre, does not have secondary screens. One small gripe I have with the place is the fact that the tables protrude outwards to the upright position through the seat next to you, making it awkward to put the table up or down when someone is sitting next to you.

If the Playhouse is the Festival Centre's sister then the Space is the Festival Centre's kooky…read moresecond cousin from up north. The Space is an intimate venue with an adaptive space allowing for seating of 200 to 300 people and can also be transformed into an all-round theatre (think arena seating). In the many times I have frequented the centre, I've seen intimate cabaret shows with the stage in the corner, a bizarre theatre piece with no stage and the audience sitting on the floor with the performers walking through the audience and performing wherever we scooched over to make room, another theatre performance with traditional staging and a memorable contemporary dance piece with the audience surrounding the performers. Although I can't quite comment on the shows I saw, the performances really did show off the versatility of the Space and how it allows those in between venue sizing to perform. The Space foyer is also a performance venue, but it is also my favourite place to relax during intermission. Drink prices are reasonable for a performance area and the Space is probably my favourite place to see a show (particularly the Shakespearean kind of play, you're practically right on the stage!)

Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre is a visual and performing arts centre that acts as a meeting place…read morefor sharing cultures, traditions and experiences. One day you might see a Muslim quilting project and the next a punk gig. Places like Nexus do an excellent job prioritising diverse artists from different backgrounds - which is pretty important when you consider how monocultural most of the arts in Australia are. You only need to look at the evening television to see that the majority of presenters and actors employed are white - but we have huge populations of Indian, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek and Sudanese people in Australia. Nexus have really great facilities - a well outfitted gallery, a performance space, and a really lovely red brick courtyard. Although the exhibitions here have a big focus on community engagement and connecting different groups of people, they are still of a professional standard. The performance space often has a cabaret bent, but there is a big mix of stuff happening - Greek big bands and contemporary dance, flamenca and African Jazz. I'm not a regular at Nexus, but special events often draw me there. Keep an eye on their website for updates.

From the owner: - Multicultural arts presentation - Music…read more- Visual Art