What’s on at the Sydney Fringe Festival, and what should you see this year?
With literally hundreds of shows at this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival and only so much time on which to write about them, our editor Justin has condensed his reviews in this one handy spot for you to read at leisure.
From immersive theatre that’s dripping with cocktails and secrets, to bold, new First Nations storytelling, family circus delights, and comedy regulars, the 2025 Sydney Fringe Festival lineup promises something for everyone. Whether you’re a Fringe rookie, or a seasoned Fringer, you can get an idea on what you should put on your 2025 Fringe list by reading through these reviews!
*Come back throughout the Sydney Fringe Festival to see the updated reviews as they come in
Shows in this article:
- When Night Comes
- Elixir Revived
- A Succulent Chinese Musical?!
- Train of Thought
- Dorothy in Oz: An Immersive Cocktail Adventure
When Night Comes
Tickets FROM $71.50
22 AUG TO 27 SEPT | 1 hour 5 minutes
Sideshow at The Rocks – Union Bond Store
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/when-night-comes/
4 STARS
Decadence meets immersive theatre in one of the Sydney Fringe’s most unique experiences
Let your senses explore and your inner curiosity be piqued
Alice in Wonderland for adults where Shakespeare, Gothic, and Greek literature combine
Is When Night Comes worth seeing in Sydney?
Elixir Revived
Tickets $45.00 – $49.00
29 Aug – 12 Oct | 55 minutes
Fool’s Paradise- Entertainment Quarter – The Vault
SHOW IS RATED: R18+
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/elixir-revived/
4 STARS
These men are more than just washboard abs and long flowing locks, they have comic timing and enough swagger to make any audience member swoon
The stunts come thick and fast, and the audience members’ are in a constant look of awe and shock; some even close their eyes with fear.
What kind of show is Elixir Revived?
A Succulent Chinese Musical?!
Tickets $42.00
03 – 13 Sep | 1 hour
Off Broadway Hub – Eternity Playhouse
Flight Path Theatre
SHOW IS RATED: M
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/a-succulent-chinese-musical/
3 STARS
Ask any Aussie millenial that was on the internet during the introduction of YouTube and the meme what the most iconic Australian viral video was, and most likely you’ll hear them uproariously claim in their most Shakespearean accent, “A succulent chinese meal!”
Ah yes, I see you know your meme history well. The fraud company that leaked the call to the police of the arrest of a highly wanted man, the arrival of the reporters who captured the now worldwide famous footage that’s been viewed more than eight million times, and the sergeants committing the arrest would never have known the man they pulled out, one Jack Karlson, was about to utter some of the most famous lines of internet history. Nor would they have known his greater connections to the criminal underworld of Australia in the late 20th century.
Now at the Sydney Fringe Festival for its New South Wales’ premiere, A Succulent Chinese Musical?! takes the viral sensation of Karlson and gives audiences a peak behind the curtain of his life, in a very tongue-in-cheek musical retelling of a very watered down (and infamously much darker) period of time in Australia.
With book, music and lyrics by Rick Butler and Kate Stewart, ASCM very much honours the Karlson of the famous meme in a sort of “in memoriam” format. We hit the highlights (or should I say lowlights) of Karlson’s life, from an abusive history in a boys youth home, to one of many jailbreak escapes, his marriage to Eve Karlson (one of many women in his life), and his friendship with other criminals of the era such infamous playwright Jim McNeil.
Musical direction by Vincent Huynh highlights the many intricacies of Butler and Stewart’s music and lyrics which are actually damn well catchy as you leave the theatre. A sign of a succulently good musical indeed. Throughout, they play with the 105 words that are uttered in Karlson’s monologue in the viral clip to great comedic effect. There are odes to other musical stylings, such as a Les Miserables “One Day More” ensemble piece, and Sondheim patter song. The culmination of the main songs in the finale (“A Succulent Chinese Megamix”) play out the entirety of Karlson’s YouTube arrest and the crumbs that are layed out come crashing together in an unqequivocally brilliant finale.
It is safe to say, that Australians have always been obsessed with the outlaw. From Ned Kelly to Mark “Chopper” Read, there’s a unique fascination that white Australia holds when it comes to its convict roots – despite how bloody the hands of the criminals in question are. So it’s no surprise that we hold Jack Karlson up on the same pedestal.
So when it comes to seeing satirical musical spoofs such as A Succulent Chinese Musical?!, it is one to both enjoy and seek to explore further. Moments of catharsis can lend itself to curiosity, which then lends to further investigation and interrogation of our own collective obsessions and history. So too can it force us to look at corruption from those in power. Such is the beauty of theatre.
Ta ta and farewell.
Train of Thought
Tickets $31.00
02 – 06 Sep | 50 minutes
Queer Hub- Qtopia Sydney- The Loading Dock
SHOW IS RATED: PG
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/train-of-thought/
4 STARS
A train of thought is, mostly, a metaphor. For others, it can feel physical, corporeal, that locomotive that’s constantly shooting through your mind at a different pace. Most days it’ll stay on the tracks. Others, it’ll derail and send the passenger (i.e. your brain) spinning all over the place into some very odd or sometimes frightening places.
Written and performed by Tori Bullard, Train of Thought takes this metaphor and places themself on a simple train ride where their imagination meets catastrophic spirals as their story turn into the dramatic, and the very musical. It feels extraordinarily heartfelt and deeply personal at the same time, whilst also offering writing that sends you into cackles. In short, it’s an impressive solo debut at the Fringe!
Bullard sits silently reading a book as the audience enters; some voiceover of trains of thought may have helped set the tone as we waited for the doors to close. Then Bullard wakes, snapping us into attention as they dive right into the setup about simple routines of the day in the head of a neurodivergent brain. What may seem an easy decision for some, what to eat for lunch, can spiral into questions about life, death and the existence of everything as one struggles to get out the door.
With direction by Sarah Campbell, there’s a purposefulness in everything that Bullard does in the setup for Train of Thought. They own the space immediately. Joined by Lillian Hearne (musical direction) on the piano, Bullard impresses with a mix of pop and music theatre throughout the piece that compliments the situtation they’re going through.
Now, I know that me (ME) of all people never thought he’d type this, but here we go…there’s probably one too many songs (GASP!). Before you get the pitchforks, just read on. The flow of Bullard’s writing created a strong foundation on which they stood on: living in the day-to-day mindset after a train is delayed and the brain ultimately derails. Perhaps this was purposeful, perhaps not. However, it created a reality in which to sit and a throughline on which to progress.
We see Bullard discuss small choices that turn into grand scale ballads and blends reality with fiction as they create romances at sideways glances on the daily commute. About the midway point, Train of Thought becomes a bit unfocused as one song after another is sung (beautifully I may add) and we lose connection on which elements they complement.
It’s not until Bullard delves deep to explore the noises in our head and the pressure we face to “get things right” that the piece regains the foundation it stood on at the start. It does, however, end well, arriving at its final destination as it exits the station.
For a first time Fringe solo show, Tori Bullard deserved the riotous applause in Qtopia’s Loading Dock. Playing as part of the Queer Hub at the Sydney Fringe Festival, I implore you to put this on your list and let Bullard help quiet your mind as you share space with their own.
Dorothy in Oz: An Immersive Cocktail Adventure
Tickets $45.00 – $65.00
03 – 28 Sep | 1 hour 20 minutes
Cabaret Hub- Marrickville Town Hall- Main Hall
SHOW IS RATED: G
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/dorothy-in-oz/
3 STARS
Taking the whimsy and wonder of L. Frank Baum‘s classic book series based in the magical land of Oz and giving it a magic cocktail twist, Dorothy in Oz: The Immersive Cocktail Adventure takes the makeup of an escape room and dresses it with immersive, improvisational theatre.
First things first, if you think you know what you’re stepping in to, you don’t. This is part cocktail making class, part theatre, part escape room, all covered in Wizard of Oz attire.
I think it’s best not to give away the entire secrets of this experience so you can find it all out in real time, but I’ll give you a rough outline of what to expect. You’ll at first be greeted by our silver shoed Kansas protagonist, Dorothy (Bethan Williams – changing roles) and before long a twister will sweep you past the haystacked makeshift bar into the realm of Oz, where the Scarecrow (Adam Watts) awaits you…if only he could remember why you were invited.
After some awkward exposition, you’ll be tasked with summoning a witch to help you begin your journey, but with the Wicked Witch of the West recently watered down to oblivion, you’ll need the help of Glinda the Good (Kirsty McGuire) to aid you on your journey. Thankfully, you have the helpful guidance of Tip (Makenzie Bonney – changing roles) if you struggle in the task.
Where Dorothy in Oz stumbles is in its setup and reasoning of why we’re there for. Most who have bought a ticket will have been tantalised by the “Immersive Cocktail Adventure” element of the title, but it’s not very clear how, or indeed why we are getting to this end goal. Instead, the break out room styled adventure is sort of suggested instead of directly indicated as you eventually pick up the laminated sheets on your tables.
Once you get going on the journey though, and your newfound teammates on your table are once united in a common goal, the task becomes much more enjoyable. This all depends of course on your role that you play when it comes to team challenges. Are you the goal oriented, hands on type? Are you the sit back and watch others do it type? Or are you the obsessive leader who has to read and keep the group on task type? This may make or break your team!
For those non-alcohol drinkers, you are allowed to have your mocktail at the end – whether it’s worth the admission price or not is up to an individual’s tastebuds. And for those who think this would be a grand outing for the little ones, there is also a kid friendly showing at the earlier show times. You can find tickets and info below.
Concession – $55.00
Full Price – $65.00
Group (6+) – $60.00
Family (4+) – $45.00
Deadly Tix – $52.00
Until 28th September at Marrickville Town Hall
