It only seems like yesterday that I was ploughing through the 2024 FRINGE WORLD guide, and already it’s that time of year again.
Dwindling the list down to a reasonable number and finalising a schedule, that does not require you to pitch a tent and live in Northbridge for thirty one days, requires some ruthless tactics and date manipulation.
FRINGE WORLD 2025 will see five hundred and seventy seven events performed at one hundred and four venues. This year four hundred events will perform for the first time at FRINGE WORLD. Of these, two hundred and nineteen shows will have their world premieres and forty one their Australian premiere.
With some ninety five cabaret and variety shows, thirty five children’s events, two hundred and forty seven comedy shows and sixteen circus’ amongst the program – you’re sure to find something to whet the Fringe appetite.
And so, having armed myself with my laptop, a glass or two of wine, diary and an open mind, here are my top picks for Perth’s 2025 FRINGE WORLD Festival!
Drag Me to Broadway
De Parel Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden: 17 – 26 January
Get ready to be dazzled as Perth’s very own drag sensation, Dean Misdale, takes you on a journey through some of Broadway’s most iconic roles that have shattered stereotypes and put the art of drag front and centre. From legendary performances to empowering LGBTQIA+ characters, Dean will share these stories and their own in this heartfelt tale of self-discovery and showtunes. Get ready for a night of glamour, showtunes, and unforgettable entertainment.
A Simple Space
The Aurora Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden: 17 January – 16 February
Backed by the driving rhythm of a live percussionist, seven acrobats push their physical limits repeatedly without reserve. Simultaneously raw, frantic and joyful, A Simple Space evokes real responses in audiences, something visceral rather than cerebral. Without makeup, lighting and contrived theatrical overlay, the cast has deliberately focused on their exceptional skill, playful competitiveness, trust and friendship. The audience is brought in close to surround the performers. You can feel the sweat, hear every breath, and be immersed in every moment. This honesty is the essence behind A Simple Space.
Dizney Debauched
The Jonesway Theatre: 23 – 25 January
Get ready for a night of Dizney like you’ve never seen before in Dizney Debauched. Leave your expectations at the door as we dive into the darker, naughtier side of Dizney. Join Ardent Artiste Productions as they reimagine beloved characters in ways that will make your heart race and your cheeks flush. From mischievous villains revealing their secret desires to sidekicks shedding their inhibitions, this is a night of seduction, laughter, and jaw-dropping performances. Our talented cast will take you on a journey through enchanted worlds where the rules are bent, and the fantasies are unapologetically unleashed. Brace yourself for a spectacle of sensuality, artistry, and a dash of wickedness. Dizney Debauched will awaken your nostalgia and desires in one unforgettable evening of performance like no other.
Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play
The Aurora Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden: 17 January – 1 February
What did Australia’s foxiest morons get up to during the pandemic? It’s August 2021. Kath is up to pussy’s bow in sour dough bread, Kim’s been asked to work from home (though that happened long before the pandemic) and Sharon has had a severe reaction to all the hand sanitiser. Relive the uniquely Australian pandemic experience through the eyes of these uniquely Australian characters hilariously parodied by Art Simone (RuPaul’s Drag Race Downunder, Have You Been Paying Attention?), Thomas Jaspers (Granny Bingo, The Gays Are Revolting), Leasa Mann (Club Broadway) and Scott Brennan (skitHOUSE, Comedy Inc, Neighbours). Direct from it’s sold out Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney Opera House seasons – with quick wit and camp tunes, this is a fabulous night out for everyone!
4 Teachers, For Teachers
The Sail & Anchor, Fremantle: 18 & 25 January | Comedy Den at Neon Palms, Northbridge: 17 – 24 January
Ever wondered what teachers get up to outside of school? Or what goes on in the staff room? Or what they really think of the students? Comedian and teacher Ty Gray is collecting the funniest teachers from around Australia to present stories and jokes from the classroom and beyond. Each night, he will be joined by a rotating cast of teacher-comedians for a night of raucous laughter to kick off your Fringe evening. Exclusively playing during the school holidays, so you can come get wild with your co-workers!
Fate: A New Musical
Old Mill Theatre, South Perth: 31 January & 1 February
In Greek mythology, the Moirai, or the Fates, are the higher beings who handle the strings of the humans’ fates. But what happens when one of them decides to abandon their post, leaving humans to face a world of chaos without their control? FATE is an original one-act musical making its public world debut at Perth FRINGE WORLD 2025. Middle sister of the Fates, Lachesis is in charge of drawing out human fates and giving them direction, but when she leaves her celestial duties to experience life on Earth, she discovers love, independence, and the heart-wrenching reality of her duty. Set against the backdrop of a bustling 90s Chicago, this musical blends mythology and the human experience with a contemporary folk-rock score, in a story about love, loss, and the power of choice.
Elixir Revived
The Aurora Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden: 1 – 16 February
From the creators of GODZ. Elixir Revived is a new remake of the timeless show Elixir, Head First Acrobats first ever production. The storyline stays true to the charm of the original, but the show has been upgraded on all fronts to be even more athletic, sexy, hilarious and outrageous. Featuring new acts seamlessly interwoven through upgraded classics. Elixir Revived follows four scientists who attempt to create the elixir of life. Working for an authoritarian pharmaceutical corporation, they are forced to test the concoctions on themselves. The mayhem that ensues is the perfect blend of physical comedy and athletic prowess. Elixir will take you on a journey into the realm of impossibility, featuring some of the rarest and most dangerous circus apparatus in the world. These four performers have mastered skills that will make you question the limits of the human body. More action than a movie, more laughs than a stand-up show, and way more fun than you can imagine!
Booze & The Bard: McBeth! The Scotch Play
Four5Nine Bar – Rosemount Hotel, North Perth: 29 – 31 January
Five actors perform a Shakespearean classic in 1 hour with a twist… one of the actors is drunk! Tragedy meets tequila in this bloody saga of betrayal, revenge and wasted witches! An adaption of Shakespeare’s least favourite Scottish couple. Watch our cast of improv superstars corral their tipsy troupe-member while juggling Shakespearean monologues, spontaneous dancing, sadistic spinning wheels, and spooky spectres.
An Evening Without Kate Bush
Rehearsal Room 1 – State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth: 28 January – 2 February
Enter Strange Phenomena, howl with the Hounds Of Love and dance on the moors with Wuthering Heights. Kate’s not there, but you are. This award-winning cult cabaret pays glorious tribute to the music, fans and mythology of one of the most influential voices in pop music. From releasing Wuthering Heights aged just 19 to selling out the Hammersmith Apollo nearly 40 years later, Bush has always surprised and confounded her critics. Through it all her fans have stayed strong. Whether you’ve been a ‘Fish Person’ for decades or recently joined the shoal via Stranger Things, release your inner Bush at this joyful, unique and mind-blowing show.
Wil Anderson – Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout Wil?
Comedy Hub @ Lynott’s Lounge – Johnny Fox’s, Northbridge
In 2025 Wil Anderson is bringing his completely improvised shows to comedy clubs and festivals around the country. Every night will be a completely different show, made for- and with- the people in the room only. Never to be recorded. Never to be repeated. Witness one of the fastest comedic minds of his generation for a unique, never to be repeated Festival experience in intimate surrounds.
ˈalkəmē Cabaret
The Main Room at The Aberdeen Hotel, Northbridge: 23 January – 13 February
ˈalkəmē Cabaret is an eclectic and captivating cabaret that brings together a fusion of unique and mesmerising elemental forces of fire, water, earth, and air. This is brought to life through a mix of performance art. Featuring an extraordinary array of talent, the show includes dynamic dance numbers, powerful vocal performances, sensual burlesque, awe-inspiring fire acts, and breath-taking aerial silks. Each act is designed to transport audiences into a world where artistry, elegance, and daring combine in a celebration of creativity and spectacle. Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of flames or the grace of aerial acrobats, ˈalkəmē offers an unforgettable experience that defies the ordinary.
LASSU
LASSU Chapiteau – Taylor Reserve, Victoria Park: 15 January – 16 February
Step into LASSÙ – a Cosmic Cabaret Saloon perched on the galaxy’s edge, where space cowboys, alien drifters, and the legendary Rodeo Sisters dazzle with out-of-this-world acts. Join Rodeo Clown Rusty as he journeys through the golden days of Lassù, determined to revive the magic that once filled the saloon. Immerse yourself in a story where past and future collide in a spectacular, risqué circus experience.
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins
Studio Underground – State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth: 17 January – 16 February
Literature! Literature! Literature! It might not rhyme with anything but it’s still very important. Garry Starr is back and he’s hell-bent on saving books from extinction by performing every Penguin Classic novel ever written. In an hour. Mostly naked (but with flippers). Comic wunderkind Starr takes us on a literary adventure through the world’s most iconic works of fiction. From The Little Prince to Moby Dick and everything in between, nothing is safe from being lampooned with the utmost nincompoopery.
The 2025 FRINGE WORLD Festival takes place across Perth from 17 January – 16 February. For more information and full program, visit: www.fringeworld.com.au for details.
Images: Sarah-Louise Young stars in An Evening Without Kate Bush – photo by Steve Ullathorne | Drag Me to Broadway (supplied) | Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play (supplied) | Head First Acrobats presents Elixir Revived (supplied) | Wil Anderson (supplied)