★★★★1/2
Adelaide Fringe. Presented by Holden Street Theatres. Thebarton Theatre. 21 Feb 2026
Holden Street Theatres’ Adelaide International Comedy Gala is the hottest ticket for comedy in the Adelaide Fringe. And you’ll have to wait a whole year because it’s only on for one night and 1892 people at Thebarton Theatre saw it and probably you didn’t. $30 for ten comedians over three-and-a-half hours would have to be the best deal in the Fringe.
Host Eddie Bannon’s banter with audience members only went so far and he wisely cut back when the top acts were on a roll.
First cab off the rank was South Australia’s Tilly Harrison. She thrice announced she was polyamorous and said that it can lead to a lot of questions, but it didn’t lead to much humour on Saturday night. The audience didn’t care for her schtick much judging by the applause. However, I asked a 12-year-old who probably shouldn’t have been there what was his favourite comedian after seeing the first six and he said Tilly Harrison. So maybe I’m having trouble stepping over the generation gap. Maybe I’m Pollyanna when faced with polyamory. Maybe I’m jealous. And to be clear, I did not bring the 12-year old, I met her at the bar. With her mother, silly!
The show really started with Sydney’s Daniel Muggleton bedizened in a metallic red tracksuit - good trademark. Third up was Aussie bloke James Donald Forbes McCann who’s made it big in the States and lives in Austin, Texas. He kept the momentum going by saddling the horrors of the 20th century on women getting the vote. Yes, he takes chances. His earlier shows had titles like Wolf Creek The Musical and The Sound of Nazis. The interval was abuzz with speculation because the line-up is not really final until it happens.
TV personality Nikki Britton kicked butt starting off the second act. Her female-focused sexualised humour was easy to get. By now, the night was hot, hot, hot. Then the crowd erupted when Will Anderson's name was announced. His rapid fire, maniacal delivery articulated the funny bone of the dairy industry, something he grew up with. The cream on the cake of the second act was David Collins and Shane Dundas tied at the navels as the Umbilical Brothers. Their physical comedy act of mime and mic effects was astounding. In their 25th year, they attract an audience of both newcomers and significant repeat business. Talk at intermission was about how beautiful the renovated Thebarton Theatre looked and who would be stepping on stage for the third act.
Confirming a pattern, the third round opened with another female comic, Georgie Carroll. The former nurse gets plenty of material from motherhood, matrimony and emergency wards. Her routine on fanny pics for the tele-doc was so funny. Peter Helliar found the funny bone with the Princess Diana Parmigiana and the Andrew food on the kid’s menu. He’s got a relaxed, natural style. Then to riotous acclaim came TV’s quiz show host, Tom Gleeson. Personally, I’m not a big fan—he’s a bit smarmy for me—especially in contrast to the preceding Helliar. Yes, being the boss of the AC at home can be funny, but really? The audience loved him. The last act should be the strongest but Venezuelan-born Ivan Aristeguieta repeated the learning English routine from his current show—a well-worn topic by our immigrant community of comedians who can be funny in their second language, which is amazing when you think about it. A lot of people haven't heard this stuff before and found it a great finish to the night.
I guarantee you the Gala gets a lot of repeat business and attracts increasingly more famous talent, so you better get your tickets early next year. Bravo!
David Grybowski
When: 21 Feb 2026
Where: Thebarton theatre
Bookings: Closed
