Review by Markus Hamence – FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals – Performance date: Sunday 15 February 2026. Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide, South Australia
Arthur Hull’s FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals returned to Adelaide for Adelaide Fringe with the confidence of a smash hit disguised as a guilty pleasure. Staged inside the Spiegel Zelt at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, the cabaret flips Broadway’s biggest misfires into a slick, witty and unexpectedly moving musical theatre experience. Debuting here in 2025 and now world-travelled, ‘Flop’ is back for 2026 and it’s lights are shining brighter than ever. Read on…
Hull (Gaining wide appeal on 2024’s The Voice) – now a 2025 Best Emerging Artist winner and Flying Fruit Fly Circus graduate – delivers powerhouse vocals, razor-sharp storytelling and irresistible charm, transforming obscure, critically panned show tunes into moments of pure theatrical gold. The concept is deceptively clever: songs once buried by commercial failure are revived with context, humour and heart, revealing just how much brilliance can be hidden inside a ‘flop’.
“a slick, witty and unexpectedly moving musical theatre experience..”
– Markus Hamence
From Hull’s first note, the room pays attention, hooked instantly as this performer’s energy is engaging and he’s 100% charismatic. Hull commands the stage with effortless showmanship, shifting between cheeky commentary and soaring musical moments. His voice is versatile and emotionally precise, capable of Broadway bombast one minute and intimate cabaret storytelling the next. The result is both hilarious and heartfelt – a love letter to musical theatre that never tips into parody.
Audience reactions echo the energy in the room, with many praising the show’s humour, talent and clever concept, describing it as smart, entertaining and powered by a voice that fills the space. Even those who claim not to like musicals (one man brave man) have walked away impressed, which may be the show’s greatest trick.
Arthur can belt those notes too, ranging from deep to high within seconds. It is obvious he has learnt his craft well and being that he was born into the industry as such, there was no other role this guy was going to take on as a profession. Thankfully. Because he’s damn good at it.
There is a tremendous array of ‘flops’ he touches on too, Diana: The Musical, Love Never Dies, King Kong and of course, Spiderman. There are many more of course, but that would be a spoiler.
“Hull is entertaining, are great story-teller, charming, easy on the eye and above all, musically talented…” – Markus Hamence
What elevates FLOP! beyond novelty is its emotional undercurrent. Hull celebrates artistic risk, resilience and the beauty of creative ambition – even when the box office says otherwise. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t need commercial success to have soul. Hull is entertaining, are great story-teller, charming, easy on the eye and above all, musically talented.
At just 60 minutes, the show moves at a tight, fast-paced clip, blending humour, theatrical trivia and vocal fireworks into a polished cabaret gem. Get along.
Verdict: Not a flop – a triumph. A must-see Adelaide Fringe cabaret bursting with talent, theatrical love and big-voice brilliance. This show’s flops have most certainly got the chops. Get along.
FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals
Friday 13 February – Sunday 08 March 2026
Spiegel Zelt at The Garden of Unearthly Delights
Tickets
