Beautiful Lies: A New Comedy Cabaret Premiering at Adelaide Fringe 2026
From the 10-15 of March at The Austral Hotel, performer Matt Hawke makes his solo debut at the Adelaide
Fringe with a 50-minute one-man Comedy Cabaret. Beautiful Lies will make audiences laugh and cry with an original
score that explores the deception we are constantly surrounded by.
A recent graduate from the acclaimed Elder Conservatorium Bachelor of Music Theatre (ECMT), Matt Hawke is a fresh
face on the Adelaide cabaret scene. Bursting with knowledge and experience, he is eager to debut his original work
inspired by artists like Tim Minchin – combining the joys of musical comedy with various existential qualms.
Generously selected as a grant recipient of the 2026 Adelaide Fringe Fund, Hawke has received the necessary support
to make a show worth remembering. Throughout development he has also garnered endorsements from
professionals in the cabaret world such as Millicent Sarre and Michael Griffiths.
“It’s a great privilege to receive so much support for this production. An important reminder that even though it may
be a one-man show, independent art takes a community and a serious deal of effort from numerous parties. Trust
that I will not let this support go to waste.” – Matt Hawke
In the final year of his degree, Hawke created a short 12-minute version of this cabaret as a part of ECMT’s 2025
Cabaret Project where he received resounding praise and encouragement to pursue the concept further. The show
delves into the broad concept of lies; from the magic we believed as children, to the strife of queer identity, to the lies
we wish we could ignore. Hawke aims to uncover a more nuanced look at what lies could be while still revering the
power they contain.
“His original work is thought-provoking and well-constructed. Toeing the line between absurdism and observational
comedy … his cabaret persona is evocative of a young Bo Burnham.” – Millicent Sarre
Don’t miss Beautiful Lies for five nights only at The Austral from the 10th-15th.
Tickets available for purchase at: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/beautiful-lies-af2026
