Review by Markus Hamence – Dylan Adler: Haus Of Dy-Lan. Performance date: Saturday 06 June 2026. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, South Australia.
Hailing from San Fransisco, a ‘top’ and bi-racial, Dylan Adler doesn’t so much simpy perform Haus of Dy-Lan as detonate it right in front of your eyes and all over your face. Arriving at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with the high-energy of a Broadway star who’s consumed three espressos and decided therapy should be conducted in front of a live audience, Adler, in a kimono, turns the Space (Spa-ce) Theatre into his own gloriously chaotic playground. A classically trained pianist, comedian, storyteller and self-confessed over-sharer, he delivers a whirlwind, frantic and bonkers hour that feels part cabaret, part stand-up, part gymnastics routine and 100% entirely unforgettable.
From the opening moments we know what we are in for and Adler has us, the audience, firmly in his grasp. His songs are razor-sharp, his comic timing impeccable and his ability to bounce between deeply personal confessions and outrageous punchlines is a masterclass in contemporary cabaret. Stories about family, identity, schoolyard bullying experiences and the absurdities of modern life become fuel for a set that is as heartfelt as it is hilariously unhinged.
“Part cabaret, part stand-up and part controlled theatrical explosion al over your face, Dylan Adler’s Haus of Dy-Lan is one of the funniest hours at this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival.”
Markus Hamence
What makes Adler such a compelling performer is his complete lack of fear. He throws himself into every note, every joke and every physical gag with astonishing commitment. One minute he is delivering a soaring musical theatre-inspired number, the next he is contorting himself across the stage or launching into a story that somehow becomes even more ridiculous with every sentence. The audience spends much of the evening laughing so hard they barely have time to recover before the next comic hit lands.
Musically, the show is superb. Adler’s piano skills provide the backbone of the performance, allowing him to move seamlessly between parody, storytelling and genuine musical brilliance. There is a cleverness to his writing that never feels forced. Every lyric serves a purpose, every callback lands, and every seemingly chaotic moment is underpinned by remarkable craft. A special shout-out to the A/V team, they had to be on the ball to keep up with the mayhem that was laid before us on stage, and they were – flicking switches on-point and on-cue every.single.time.
“Adler doesn’t just steal the spotlight – he rips it off the hinges and he cartwheels away with it sprinkling gayness in his wake.”
Markus Hamence
Yet beneath the camp, chaos and constant laughs is a performer with genuine warmth. Adler invites the audience into his world and, despite the larger-than-life presentation, creates an atmosphere that feels surprisingly intimate. You leave feeling like you’ve spent an hour with the funniest person at the party – if that person also happened to possess the vocal range of a musical theatre lead and the stamina of an Olympic athlete.
Haus of Dy-Lan is exactly the kind of bold, fearless and wildly entertaining cabaret that festivals thrive on. Dylan Adler proves that comedy, music and vulnerability can coexist beautifully when placed in the hands of an artist operating at the very top of his game. By the final bow, the audience is exhausted from laughter, Adler is drenched in sweat, and everyone in the room is wishing the party could continue for another hour.
Wrapping it up: Haus of Dy-Lan is the kind of show that leaves your cheeks sore from laughing, your jaw dropped in disbelief, and your admiration for Dylan Adler soaring long after the curtain falls.
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