Twinky Twinky Little Star: What started as a first-time Fringe gamble turned into a sold-out, award-winning debut for comedian Zak Vasiliou.
After debuting Twinky Twinky Little Star in 2025 as his first-ever Adelaide Fringe show, Vasiliou quickly found himself performing to full houses and taking home an Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award for Emerging Artist. The show returns this Adelaide Fringe season for a limited time at Gluttony’s The Squeaker.
Twinky Twinky Little Star is a witty, self-aware comedy where Zak shares all the signs he was going to grow up to be gay, and how his parents missed every single one of them. The show also explores gay adulthood, body image, and the various categories within the gay community.
“Vasiliou has you covered with a crash course in the many terms within the gay community, broken down as simply as possible,” writes reviewer Michelle Hok (Your Local Hok).
What began as a creative passion project for Vasiliou, soon gained wider attention.
“When I was creating the show, the only potential audience members I had in mind were my family and friends,” says Vasiliou. “I was so surprised when it started selling out, with full houses of people I didn’t know.”
Following the award win, demand for the show surged.
“After I won the award, the show gained a lot of hype, and the sales really picked up,” he says. “The extra attention was a little daunting, but the audience response was so lovely.”
Audiences have connected strongly with Vasiliou’s shameless authenticity, with many sharing personal stories after performances.
“I’ve had people come up to me after the show, thanking me for inspiring them to live more authentically, and for giving them the courage to come out to their family and friends,” Vasiliou says. “I never could have anticipated the response.”
Now performing in one of the festival’s most sought-after venues, Vasiliou reflects on how quickly things have shifted.
“If you’d told me two years ago when I first started writing the show that I’d be performing in Gluttony, I would have passed out. It’s an absolute dream come true.”
Twinky Twinky Little Star runs from 17–22 March at 6:15pm at Gluttony’s The Squeaker, with tickets available via the Adelaide Fringe website.
★★★★★ “stand up that makes some seasoned professionals look amateur.” – Glam Adelaide
★★★★★ “Zak has cemented his status as a stand-up comedian to watch.” – Theatre Diaries Adelaide
★★★★★ “comedy show at it’s greatest” – Your Local Hok
Twinky Twinky Little Star
Tuesday 17 March – Sunday 22 March 2026
The Squeaker (open-air) at Gluttony – Rymill Park
Tickets
