Ashley Hribar: Buster Keaton Alive! Adelaide

Ashley Hribar performs live piano soundtracks to two Buster Keaton films, The Scarecrow and Sherlock Jr., alongside solo piano pieces including William Bolcom's The Serpent's Kiss. Chris McPhee joins on Wurlitzer organ for the program, which combines Hribar's newly composed scores with electronics and theatrical gadgetry.

Buster Keaton promotional poster featuring a man in a hat at a piano with red theatre curtains framing the design.

Following the acclaimed success of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Ashley Hribar returns with a bold new program celebrating the genius of silent film icon Buster Keaton.

To set the stage, the concert weaves together a vibrant set of solo piano pieces, including Bolcom’s The Serpent’s Kiss, alongside two new soundtracks composed and performed live by Ashley: The Scarecrow, in which Keaton’s resourceful farmhand navigates comic chaos, and Sherlock Jr., an inventive “film within a film” blending detective adventure, romance, and Keaton’s signature physical comedy.

Buster Keaton Alive! brings these timeless cinematic works to life through a dynamic and immersive live performance combining virtuosic piano, inventive electronics, and an array of playful, unexpected gadgets. A special guest appearance by Chris McPhee on the Capri’s iconic Wurlitzer organ adds an extra twist, promising an experience that is both imaginative and unforgettable.

Silent film actor in bowler hat and suit holds film reel before red theatre curtains and piano.

Man wearing glasses and light grey t-shirt posed against warm-lit tent interior.