Premier Arts & Entertainment Coverage

Fountain Lakes: Y2K

March 8, 2026

Review by Markus Hamence – Fountain Lakes: Y2K – Performance date: Sunday 08 March 2026. The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide, South Australia.

They’re gonna party like it’s noineteen noinety noine.

The foxy morons behind last year’s smash hit Fountain Lakes In Lockdown are back with a fabulous, brand new show!

LOOK AT MOI as I break it down…

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If there’s one thing the Adelaide Fringe does brilliantly, it’s turning pop-culture nostalgia into a full-blown party, and Fountain Lakes: Y2K delivers exactly that. This riotous comedy throws audiences straight back into the turn-of-the-millennium chaos of suburban Australia, where fashion crimes were bold, attitudes were even bigger and the residents of Fountain Lakes were living their best, most questionable lives. The show taps into the iconic energy of the beloved TV universe while giving it a fresh, stage-ready spin that feels perfectly at home in the Fringe playground.

“The characters arrive larger than life, dripping with exaggerated confidence, dramatic make-up, razor-sharp timing and just the right amount of suburban sass…”
Markus Hamence

The Fountain Lake cast hits the stage (after an hilarious 10 minute opening drag segment with Carlotta and Frantique, that leads smoothy into the main show while setting the tone and story-line) and the room buzzes with laughter and instant character recognition. The characters arrive larger than life, dripping with exaggerated confidence, dramatic make-up, razor-sharp timing and just the right amount of suburban sass. The performers clearly understand the rhythm of this Kath & Kim world – every dramatic pause, eye roll physical mannerism and outrageous line lands with precision, creating waves of laughter that roll through the crowd.

The Y2K theme gives the show its playful backbone. The looming millennium bug becomes the perfect excuse for panic, over-the-top reactions and plenty of early-2000s references. The script cleverly mines that era’s dial-up/beanie kid culture — from questionable fashion choices to the suburban obsession with status, relationships and looking “effluent”. It’s a cheeky celebration of the kind of Australian humour that thrives on self-awareness and affectionate satire.

“Visually, the show leans into bright costumes, energetic staging and a sense of organised chaos that keeps the pace brisk and the mood electric…”
Markus Hamence

Visually, the show leans into bright costumes, energetic staging and a sense of organised chaos that keeps the pace brisk and the mood electric. It feels less like a traditional play and more like a comedic variety ride through the Fountain Lakes universe, where the jokes come fast and the crowd is happily along for every outrageous moment.

What makes Fountain Lakes: Y2K work so well is its spirit that embodies the heart and soul of the OG TV Show. It never tries to reinvent the wheel – instead it celebrates the absurdity and charm of suburban life with pure comedic confidence. By the end of the night the audience is laughing, quoting lines and fully immersed in the ridiculous world the performers have created.

Thomas Jaspers (Kath and Trude), Art Simone (Kim and Prue), Jemima Handful (Sharon) & Scott Brennan (Brett, Gary, Con & Kel) relish in their roles, delighting the die hard fans of the show with the iconic lines and most memorable moments from ‘Look at moi’ to the daggy dancing and then muffin tops to ‘Horn Bag’ self-labelling.

At a festival built on bold personalities and playful theatre, Fountain Lakes: Y2K is exactly the kind of show that thrives. Big laughs, nostalgic chaos and a healthy dose of Aussie camp make it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for anyone ready to revisit the wild energy of the year two-thousand.