If you’re in the mood for a wildly absurd, delightfully unhinged, and incredibly physical comedy experience, then Mel McGlensey Is Motorboat is your perfect Fringe vessel. Docked at the Bally in Gluttony, this boat-woman hybrid performance is a riotous ride through high-energy clowning, audience interaction, and some very “nautical but nice” humour.
McGlensey, a 2024 Golden Gibbo nominee and winner of Best Comedy at Adelaide Fringe 2024, fully commits to her larger-than-life character. With a sailor’s outfit ingeniously doubling as boat parts—including some particularly buoyant “floatation devices”—she embraces every wave of ridiculousness with infectious enthusiasm.
From the moment Motorboat sets sail, the audience becomes her crew, each assigned a boat type in a flurry of improvised banter that McGlensey expertly weaves back into the show for maximum comedic payoff.
The story? Motorboat dreams of leaving the dock and venturing into the great unknown, but she’s held back by the booming, omnipresent voice of Captain Daddy. But as any good Fringe audience knows, staying anchored is never an option. What follows is a rollicking, often improvised voyage where McGlensey’s quick wit, expressive clowning, and razor-sharp comedic instincts keep the crowd both on edge and in stitches.
The humour is far from subtle—expect a bit of salty language and some audience participation—the energy and commitment of the performance keeps things afloat for the entire show.
With her formidable improv skills and natural comedic presence, McGlensey delivers a show that is as silly as it is skilful. Whether you’re a tugboat, an ocean liner or a lowly kayak, Motorboat is a high-spirited, side-splittingly funny voyage well worth embarking on. Just batten down the hatches—things are bound to get a little choppy!
One of the great strengths of the Fringe is the sheer variety of venues, ensuring a stage for all manner of performances.
Bec Pynor’s Someone Else’s Story found its home in the intimate setting of Star Theatre Two, a perfect choice for this deeply personal production. Following a sell-out run in 2024, the show has returned by popular demand, and on opening night, the venue was packed with a diverse audience of devoted music lovers.
The set is simple and tasteful—no gimmicks, just exquisite music.
Pynor, accompanied by the accomplished pianist Daniel Brunner, takes the audience on a moving journey through her life. From the little girl enraptured by musical theatre, nurtured by her grandparents’ shared love of the art form, to her high school years where she first took centre stage as Jasmine in Aladdin, and finally, to her rigorous Music Degree studies in Queensland, which challenged her, broadened her repertoire, and helped shape the remarkable performer she is today.
Her selection of 14 songs spans beloved classics from Mary Poppins, Wicked, and Hamilton, as well as lesser-known gems from The Notebook, Avenue Q, and Waitress. Given the diversity of the repertoire, it would have been helpful to have the song titles announced, allowing the audience to better connect with the music both during and beyond the performance.
Pynor opened the show with a commanding presence—tall, poised, elegantly gowned, and every inch a star beneath the spotlight. Her voice soared with note-perfect clarity, captivating the audience from the outset. Her duet with Brunner provided a delightful shift in tone and pace, offering a charming contrast to the solo numbers. However, while her renditions were undeniably polished, there were moments where I found myself wishing she had leaned more into her own vocal identity, rather than adhering to the American accents of the original songs.
Throughout the performance, Pynor shares what she describes as ‘only the lessons that music can teach,’ encouraging the audience to cast aside fear and pursue their dreams—a philosophy she has clearly embraced herself. Should she choose to return to the Fringe, I have no doubt she will be gracing a larger stage, commanding an even greater audience.
Song List: 1. The Secret of Happiness – Daddy Long Legs 2. Feed the Birds – Mary Poppins 3. Palace Walls – Aladdin 4. Medley (Someone Else’s Story, Fine Fine Line, Heavy Help My Heart, Times are Hard for Dreamers, I Never Knew his Name) 5. The Wizard and I – Wicked 6. Burn – Hamilton 7. When he Sees Me – Waitress 8. No Day but Today – Rent 9. My Days – the Notebook
To book tickets to Someone Else’s Story, please visit https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/someone-else-s-story-af2025
‘Breaking: The Musical – a completely legal parody musical’, shares the colourful and comedic story of how ‘Spray-gun’ and her breakdancing reached the Paris Olympics and subsequently broke the internet. Such was the anticipation for this show; there were some audience members dressed in appropriate tracksuits or were watching videos of Olympic footage in the queue to prepare them. A small live band to the side, a white picket fence, and a projector on a completely blacked-out stage awaited the eager hordes. Filled with visual gags and presumably somewhat accurate research of ‘Spray-gun’s’ journey, comedian Stephanie Broadbridge has created something oddly endearing.
Songs were cleverly incorporated, with references to popular musicals such as Rent (‘525,600 dollars’), Wicked (flying on the Olympic torch), and a well-worded encore performance parodying ‘Rain on My Parade’, directly addressing their success in finding a legal loophole. Standout songs included ‘I Think I Pulled a Muscle’, involving ‘Spray-gun’s’ husband forfeiting a spot at competing, and ‘I’m Breaking Down’, a heartfelt ballad on her internet image which is then interspersed with half-hearted breakdancing. An unexpected delight was a song dedicated to her time on ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’, featuring the other contestants making fun of their own presence on the show, and Julia Morris with a suspiciously Robert Irwin-shaped hand-puppet encouraging ‘Spray-gun’ to embrace her newfound celebrity status.
Sprinkled throughout the performance were references to the legal battle that nearly prohibited them from sharing this World Premiere. Interjections from characters in barrister’s robes or the censoring and changing of words from the narrator were often incorporated into the humour of the show. Standout performances from the ensemble include Jake Howie, particularly with his role as ‘Spray-gun’s’ charmingly Sassy Inner Voice, and Freddie, as her exceptionally over-confident husband and partner in crime.
A purely mimed segment encompassing the journey from Australia to Paris was one of the strongest moments in the show. The exaggerated impatience of moving through airports and new places as a tourist was both highly relatable and amusing. Unfortunately, this actor cannot be named yet as there was neither a program detailing this, nor were their names visible during the bows with the projected writing blocked by the actors on stage.
With no allocated or raised seating, it often meant that those who were not in the front two rows were not able to see anything that happened when actors sat on the stage as views were blocked. While many of the lyrics and niche references may have been entertaining, it was difficult to hear what many of them were as the live band was much louder than most of the performers. In addition to a lack of sound-checking, there were moments in the beginning where the music was not in time with the singers. Thankfully, this dissipated as the show progressed and the performers grew in confidence.
There were even some elements of audience participation, one of which included the narrator encouraging everyone to join in a breakdown of the infamous break-dance. While there was a moment of confusion as to whether we should follow their verbal directions or just mirror them, the chaotic atmosphere certainly suited the performance overall. The chaotic energy certainly followed over into their costumes, from bejewelled Olympic tracksuits, internet trolls in hooded capes, to the narrator suddenly wearing fishnets and underwear instead of pants.
Despite the shoestring budget they were operating on and waiting almost 20 minutes for the show to start after the allocated show time, it was undeniably an entertaining night out.
The Holden Street Theatre is in full swing, hosting numerous shows in this year’s Adelaide Fringe(running from 21st Feb to 23rd March), and we were very privileged to be granted the opportunity to review three distinct but high-quality shows in one day.
Shellshocked Shellshocked has its Australian Premiere at Holden Street Theatre for the Adelaide Fringe 2025. This play is by Phillip Stokes, an award-winning playwright from Leeds. The British Library recognises him as a culturally significant playwright of the 21st Century.
This production stars Jack Stokes and Lee Bainbridge as Wesley and Mr. Lupin (Sir). It opens with Mr. Lupin on stage, staring at a blank canvas on a large easel. The rest of the settings are a desk, a table, a solitary chair, a coat stand, a carafe of whisky, and two glasses.
Wesley has returned from serving in the military in WW2 and needs a job to support his single mum and three sisters. So, he applies to the local portrait painter for an apprenticeship, and his mother delivers his portfolio.
Wesley suffers from PTSD, but he is happy to get the position at a very decent wage. As Wesley gets to know Mr. Lupin, or Sir as he sometimes likes to be called, you start to notice that something is not right in their relationship. You sense that Mr. Lupin, who had polio as a young lad, feels that he has been deprived of the war experience and all it entails.
Wesley is taunted by Sir quite a few times through the course of the play. We begin to see why there is a blank canvas on stage and no other completed artwork. And we begin to wonder who the better artist is.
It becomes evident that Lupin is a bully. Slowly, this story builds up to an interesting climax, which you need to see to know the outcome. Jack Stokes as Welsey is brilliant; his character development is intense. He is certain to be an actor to watch out for in the future. He is cast well against Lee Bainbridge, who is a very accomplished actor.
This show is a must-see at the Adelaide Fringe before it goes to Broadway. A 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Dear Diary For about 75 minutes, Kay Proudlove entertains us with a collection of stories and a few well-crafted songs. This entertaining production is a look at Kay’s adolescent life. It starts with Kay being called back to the family home to empty her childhood bedroom, as her mother wants a sewing room. This is well represented with three costume racks filled with her clothes.
A key element is the diary from which her memories spring. Here, we hear her stories of being a teenager and all the issues that entails. It starts with Kay having a night off from work and a gig being cancelled, and therefore, she is at her family home going through the detritus of teenage years.
The delivery is nice and gentle—it is like chatting with an old friend. Kay draws the audience in with her humour in her stories and songs. We hear about boyfriends, girl power, and lost music gigs. The whole story is very relatable to the audience.
The audience appreciated this show’s gentle storytelling approach, effectively conveying the narrative without being overly forceful.
So, join the journey of self-discovery, and you will enjoy the show.
4.5 out of 5
Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse For England This rollicking production well portrays the decline of a footy (round ball) fan. Alex Hill plays Billy and is directed by Sean Turner. Alex uses the full stage at Holden Street. Alex plays multiple characters, with Billy being the main one.
This is a very physical one-man show that leads us through the story of Billy, a shy, introverted lad who is introduced to football.
Football helps him overcome his shyness and takes his mind off his job. His interest in football leads him to a gang of football hooligans. This is all set against the Euro 2020 competition at Wembley, and for the first time in a long time, England is in the comps with a chance to win.
The title of the production is based on a true incident that involved a flare and someone’s posterior. His life becomes more aggressive as he follows the gang of football fans. He feels he is fitting in and belongs to a crowd of like-minded people.
He becomes intoxicated by the stupid stunts and violence that is part of the culture of football thugs. He is introduced to cocaine, and that releases him from his cocoon, and he meets a girl. Now he must juggle a more complex lifestyle, between a girlfriend or football and mates. There is a theme of fascism in the football gang as you are expected to join in, whether you like it or not.
This production gives you an insight into the football hooligan mentality but in a wonderfully humorous way. It is a worthwhile production. Alex is an amazing talent. He holds your attention for over 75 minutes, leaving the audience feeling nearly as exhausted as Alex. 5 out of 5 stars from me.
These shows alone are well worth getting out to see, but by all means, we recommend getting down to see as many Adelaide Fringe shows as you can. To book tickets to any of the upcoming Adelaide Fringe shows at the Holden Street Theatres, please visit:- https://www.holdenstreettheatres.com/
