28 June 2011

Breaking all previous box office records, this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival achieved an 8% increase in attendance from 2010. With an estimated 95,000 attendances, it is believed people have started to really embrace the festival atmosphere – from shows to activities and food, and everything in between.

Highlights of this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival included the sold out Variety Gala performance as well as newcomers Gillian Cosgriff and Toby Francis both of whom were described as ‘ones to watch’.

By far the most in demand tickets were for Leo Sayer who made everyone feel like dancing, Bryan Batt from TV's Mad Men and legendary Broadway star Chita Rivera. 

Sold out shows were the order of the Festival and included Ansuya Nathan, Melinda Schnieder, Bryan Batt, Paul Capsis, Michael Feinstein, Jitterbug Club, Jimmy Webb, High School Cabaret, Leo Sayer, Bert La Bonte, Michael Griffiths and Alexis Fishman.

David Campbell, the festival’s Artistic Director, is celebrating his last year in the role, and will leave on a very high note. "The last three years have been a wonderful experience.  We are indebted to many people - the team at Adelaide Festival Centre without whom any of this is possible, the sponsors who supported us, especially our Principal Partner FOXTEL, all the magnificent artists that came from far and wide and the Adelaide audiences that brought the Festival to life,” he says.