Review by Markus Hamence – Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret – Performance date: Saturday 07 March 2026. Gluttony, Adelaide, South Australia.
Step into Adelaide’s most decadent late-night escape: a dazzling cabaret where vogue-posing, Fosse-popping, French-lace-drenched drag divas unleash their intoxicating elegance.
After sold-out seasons across Australia, this award-winning spectacle fuses Moulin Rouge glamour with Berlin club grit in a delicious fever dream of live vocals, dance, burlesque and drag.
With sultry shimmies, scandalous reveals and jaw-dropping modern takes on Piaf, Aznavour and Cohen, this is a glittering romp through the risqué and the ridiculous. It’s the late-night show you’ll be talking about till dawn.
Here’s my take on the show…
Late at night during the Adelaide Fringe, when the crowds are drifting between Gluttony tents and the city starts leaning into its after-hours mood, Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret arrives with vibes of a glitter-drenched postcard from a mischievous corner of Montmartre. This is cabaret with attitude — playful, provocative and gloriously theatrical.
“Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret arrives with vibes of a glitter-drenched postcard from a mischievous corner of Montmartre…”
Markus Hamence
Presented at the BankSA Theatre in Gluttony, the show plunges audiences into a decadent world of drag, burlesque, live music and high-camp storytelling. The concept is simple but delicious: a trio of flamboyant performers channel Parisian nightlife through a lens that is equal parts Moulin Rouge glamour and late-night Berlin club energy. The result is a riot of lace, lipstick and bold personality. Jens Radda, Iva Buttrose and Meg Hickey, are all sublime on stage, well versed in comedy, singing, choreography, acting and holding an audiences attention.
The minute the performers glide onstage (from the audience aisle) in corsets and ruffled collars, the tone is set – this is a cabaret that refuses to play it safe. The show swings between sultry chanson, cheeky comedy and full-throttle drag theatrics. Live vocals soar across the room, choreography snaps with confidence, and the costumes sparkle with decadent flair. Each act feels like a slightly scandalous love letter to European cabaret traditions, yet the energy remains unmistakably modern.
One of the show’s greatest strengths is its unpredictability. Just when you think the mood has settled into smoky Parisian elegance, the performers pivot into something wild, ridiculous or hilariously self-aware. Audience reactions describe it as “unexpected, ribald and rude” while still managing to be heartfelt and engaging – a blend of chaos and polish that keeps the room buzzing.
Musically, the show dips into bold reinterpretations of icons like Édith Piaf, Charles Aznavour and Leonard Cohen, transforming classic material into dramatic, contemporary cabaret moments. The performances balance reverence with irreverence, giving familiar songs a playful twist that suits the show’s flamboyant spirit.
Jens’ ‘Always A Woman To Me’ (Billy Joel) is outstanding. Iva’s ‘What Makes A Man A Man’ is honest, raw and questioning, always a thought provoking number. While Hickey’s accordion set slips into the show with irresistible charm, the instrument wheezing and dancing through the room like a mischievous Parisian street melody that suddenly turns the cabaret into a lively & sultry party.
“They command the stage with equal parts charisma and mischief…”
Markus Hamence
The real magic, though, lies in the chemistry BETWEEN the performers. They command the stage with equal parts charisma and mischief, constantly teasing the audience and each other. It’s intimate, interactive and knowingly outrageous – the kind of Fringe experience that feels a little bit naughty and a lot unforgettable.
At a festival as enormous as Adelaide Fringe – the world’s second-largest annual arts festival, hosting thousands of artists every year – shows need personality to stand out. Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret delivers that personality in spades and ample skin.
By the time the final bow arrives, the room feels like it has been transported through a whirlwind of feathers, satire and seductive cabaret energy.
Wrap-up:
Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret is late-night Fringe escapism at its most delicious – a sparkling, cheeky celebration of drag, music and unapologetic theatrical flair.
Madame Martha’s Parisian Cabaret
Friday 27 February – Sunday 08 March 2026
BankSA Theatre at Gluttony – Rymill Park
Tickets
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