Festivals, festivals, everywhere … but where to begin? Make the most of all that Mad March has to offer with On The Record’s monthly guide. (Image: Alana Pahor)
By Alana Pahor | @Alana_Pahor
Despite its gorgeous vineyards, Adelaide is often unfairly dismissed as “boring” by its interstate siblings. During Mad March, however, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane hold their tongues.
Adelaide dresses to impress this month, dazzling locals and tourists alike with the wonders of the Fringe, WOMADelaide, and the Adelaide Festival.
The streets come to life each weekend with glowing strung lights, melodies of buskers young and old, and sprightly local markets.
South Australia’s best comedy, theatre, food, music and performing arts are up for offer, with acts from international performers adding more fuel to the festive fire.
Our only wish is that this vibrant version of Adelaide could last all year round, keeping local artists on the job and the other cities’ mouths respectfully shut.
Perhaps, though, its short length is in part what makes Adelaide’s festival season so special – and with so much to see and do this month before it all ends for the year, we’ve compiled a list to help you make the most of Mad March!
Visual art/film
As the Adelaide Festival kicks off on March 3, so too do intriguing film premieres James Newitt: HAVEN and Emily Wardill: Night for Day.
Both films are showing at UniSA’s Samstag Museum until March 19; HAVEN features island utopias and stories of detachment, and Night for Day explores ideologies and psychological complexity through a “feigned mother-son relationship”.
If you’re particularly keen to see the films unveiled, Samstag Museum is hosting a launch day for both works at 4-6pm on March 4.
That’s not all for intriguing films this month; the film exhibition Mary Cassatt: Painting the Modern Woman is showing at the Capri Cinema on March 12.
The film follows the fascinating life and career of American painter Mary Cassatt, who is known for shifting the way women appear in art with her radical, intellectual, and feminised portraits.
Speaking of pioneering artists, Andy Warhol and Photography: A Social Media is showing at the Art Gallery of South Australia from March 3 to May 14.
While his career preceded the invention of social media, his famous Pop Art style and fixation on the celebrity social world has many critics pondering: was Andy Warhol the first influencer?
Encouraging you to decide for yourself, the exhibition features a collection of Warhol’s photography, paintings, and experimental films – including his famous Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley Pop Art portraits.
Festivals/markets
The Adelaide Fringe Festival is running until March 19, so there’s still plenty of time to indulge in good theatre, food and festivities.
If you’re low on inspiration, check out our weekly Fringe Guide on Instagram or head to the Fringe’s daily program.
While most of us are well acquainted with the Fringe, many are less familiar with ODYSSEY: a festival for aspiring young creators that is running at the Garden of Unearthly Delights (along with select South Australian wineries) from March 7 to 10.
For those looking to get their small business off the ground, meet like-minded people in industry, or develop career skills, ODYSSEY’s CAMP(US) day at the Garden of Unearthly Delights may be of particular interest.
Running on March 8 from 11am to 5:30pm, the day combines workshops in fundraising, sales, design, and marketing with opportunities to connect with local founders.
That being said, many of us are just trying to get through the university year and would trade networking for a day of vibrant music in a heartbeat. Luckily, we’ve got WOMADelaide for that.
Running from March 10 to 13, WOMADelaide is bringing an array of beloved artists to Adelaide, including AURORA, Florence + The Machine, and Bon Iver.
The world’s festival has plenty of other vibrant attractions on offer too with its Taste The World Restaurant, local food stalls, and workshops.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for Mad March, the Adelaide Festival is also running from March 3 to 19.
The festival features a variety of music and dance spectaculars (with Lorde being among its performers); however, it’s also perfect for bookworms with theatre renditions of A Little Life and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde on offer.
Theatre/talks/workshops
Speaking of books, Adelaide Writers’ Week is back from March 4 to 9, as part of the Adelaide Festival, with plenty of author talks and workshops available for avid readers and aspiring authors.
The week offers something for every type of reader and writer – whether you’re interested in learning about literary history, contemporary writing techniques, or simply getting the chance to hear from your favourite local author.
If you resonate with the latter, Holly Ringland, author of The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding, is running her talk The Landscape of the Heart at Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden on March 6.
If political writing is more your style, check out Laura Tingle and John Warhurst’s talk Why Books About Politics Matter on March 6.
The duo will discuss changing attitudes towards political writing, its societal importance, and how to write the genre effectively.
For the full Writers’ Week program, check out their official schedule.
While there’s plenty of theatre acts on display at the Fringe grounds, the Arts Theatre on Angas Street also has a gorgeous musical on offer this month.
Ari Arari, based on the ancient Korean folk song Arirang, features vibrant dancing, costume, and music that “captures the enduring bonds of family”. The musical is showing at the Arts Theatre from March 10 to 18.
Music/concerts
Alongside the music on offer at our many festivals, the Entertainment Centre will be home to a few big acts this month.
Three-time Grammy Award-winning a capella group Pentatonix is performing on March 18 as part of their 2023 World Tour, featuring hits from their recent albums Holidays Around The World (2022) and Evergreen (2021).
The venue will also be home to Snoop Dogg on March 8, where he’ll perform hits from his 2019 album I Wanna Thank Me as part of his tour of the same name.
If you’re a Phoebe Bridgers fan and enjoy supporting local artists, you may also want to see Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin at Hindley Street Music Hall on March 5.
Jacklin, who has a raw alternative/indie style similar to that of Bridgers, promises to enrapture her audience with her “intimate storytelling and captivating live performance”.
We hope our guide has helped you navigate through the festival extravaganza that is Mad March. Make the most of the month and have a great start to the university semester!
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