Time to tell you all about Adelaide Fringe FEstival!
Sat:
I woke up the morning after Miss B with the alarm going off too early for how late I had gone to bed. Then I remembered! I had no time to rest, I was flying off to Adelaide in a few hours to perform at Anything Goes Cabaret at ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL!!! I’m amazed I managed to pack properly (I only forgot mascara and toothpaste!). Bleary eyed Deb Delicious dropped me at the airport and I was off. I had never flown to Adelaide before (my only visit as a child was via train) so as usual I spent the flight with my head in the window watching the changing landscape. Australia is so beautiful from the air!
I arrived in Adelaide to be greeted by the lovely Rachel Ferris, who was kind enough to pick me up and drop me off at the apartment. These airport drop offs and pick up were such a blessing in my exhausted state!
I was greeted at the apartment by Venus Vamp and Lolita La Tex’s alter ego. We departed straight away for the supermarket for the all important alcohol and ice cream supplies. I was going to rest but Venus dragged me out first to Fringe Club then to watch her perform at a great fringe venue. It was a former supermarket part of which had been turned into a club by bikies. The club has been shut down but it is used during fringe festival. Would be great if the Sydney Fringe festival could do the same. I also got to meet Luna Eclipse for the first time 
Sunday
I succumbed to the cold that was imminent, exhaustion and the dry Adelaide air and rested during the day, before heading out to see A Night at the Movies- a burlesque show featuring some of Adelaide’s finest burlesque performers. I really enjoyed the show. It was well put together. Despite having seen quite a few of the performances before the skilled MCing and tweaks to create a cohesive show really paid off.
I then headed over to perform one of my numbers at one of the “best of” shows at Fringe, designed to give audiences a taste of what is on offer. Probably the less said about the experience the better… however for the curious I turned up and they thought I was on the next night (this is after they had bumped another performer from our show the previous night). After showing them a string of emails I was put on but was stressed to take ONLY 5 mins. Repeatedly. I got changed in the unlit corner of the tent (luckily I had been warned by other performers to be as ready as possible) and listened to some terrible comedy that included homophobic jokes… ergh…. I did my performance in under 5 mins (they didn’t get to see it all and you all know what they would have missed out on), plugged the show, got changed and got the hell out of there…
Venus and I then got to catch up with Rita Fontaine, explored the Garden of Unearthly Delights saw the freak show (oh my Venus and i have a crush on the sword swallower), met the lovely Flavella Lamour for the first time (after hearing so many nice things about her).
Monday
We awoke excited and nervous for our first performance! We all headed to the venue and were amazed at the huge change rooms available to us! No corners of tents or disabled toilets change rooms here
Unpacking my costumes I had a sinking feeling when I discovered that my black sequin skirt made specially for me by Rita was missing.I had left it in the dark corner of the tent! So after a walk across town I found the skirt outside the tent sparkling in the sun. I was amazed no one had taken it!
After tech rehearsals it was time to get ready and then showtime! On first stepping on stage I noticed something odd. The audience looked like a retirement village (except for a table of burly folk). There were 2 walking frames! Average age was over 50 I would say. Other than a couple of technical hiccups the night went well. Some of our friends joined us backstage to indulge in the riders!! A fridge full of beer water and soft drink AND even a bottle of whisky! Fowlers Live is the best venue ever! A few of us then decided to scout the talent on Hindley st at Adelaide’s Famous Crazy Horse! Yes. I can say it was quite different from Paris’. One of the strippers was awesome with a fabulous 80s costume and routine. It was a pity about the blank eyes… Then I fell asleep. Yes. I am the only person in the world that can fall asleep at a strip club! (It is a talent I have, I have also once fallen asleep in the middle of a raucous pub in Canada watching the Ice hockey finals but that is another story! Wish I could sleep so easily in my own bed!)
Tues
I met Paloma in the city for a much-needed Pedicure and a bit of shopping. The stores in Adelaide are huge and really well laid out. I suppose Sydney rents lead to small shops… We were buoyed by our performance by an amazing review by Absinthe……. This crowd was also a bit older and the front tables were all women! In one of my numbers I didn’t know whose lap to sit on till I asked and a very enthusiastic member of the audience put her hand up. Got to love audience participation! We then went to Fringe Club for some drinks. I seem to get pulled up onstage for audience participation so much lately that I am going to start charging an appearance fee! And Tues night at Fringe club was no exception! Fez was running a “Beauty” contest that night and after my performances at Miss Burlesque I felt well equipped to compete! 5 guys and 3 girls were taken backstage and dressed in “appropriate” attire (in my case a cape, belonging to Fez). WE then had to do a parade showing the 3am drunken walk home of shame , have our makeup done by someone behind us and finally a butt shimmy off. I made it to the top 2 and was voted out by the audience (half of whom knew the winner) Robbed again! 
lol.
Wed
I woke up with a raging hangover and a false eyelash on my belly. Yes it had been a good night! I believe Venus and Paloma had to drag me away from Fringe Club. I was having too much fun in true Cherry style (which may have included stealing a crown and having it stolen back off me… I’m innocent really!) That afternoon a massive storm rolled into Adelaide- and I had left my umbrella at the venue of course! I couldn’t get through to a taxi company so walked to the bus with my coat over my shoulders and my big hat on my head. I was a site! The bus I caught then broke down! All up it took over an hour to go a few km. I should’ve walked…
That night the crowd was small but what they lacked in size they made up with enthusiasm! I’ve never heard such enthusiasm from such a small crowd and it was a delight to talk to them after the show.
Thurs came too quickly- our last show! It was a bit emotional as in a short time those of us who knew each other had become closer and those who did not became firm friends. It is amazing to be involved in a show like that.
It was a great crowd and the perfect farewell to the show. We hung around with the crew from Fowlers and drank the last of the rider. Love that venue so much! They are incredibly helpful and welcoming.
I spent the next few days in Adelaide going to shows, The Barrio and Fringe Club.
I went home exhausted!
Adelaide you put on a hell of a festival!!!
