Review by Markus Hamence – Relaxing and Balancing – Performance date: Thursday 26 February 2026. The Warehouse, Unley, South Australia
In this hectic world of humans, minds think too much and are too active to rest, let alone achieve calmness and harmony. The sun and moon sides of the self are disturbed; in Chinese philosophy, we say that Yin and Yang must be balanced for the being to maintain good mental and physical health.
Three performers strive to relax the mind that keeps racing, moving up and down. They practice Chinese Qigong, singing bowls and physical movements to detach from a busy mind, achieving a peaceful state of body ready to relax, do nothing, and just be.
Here’s my take on the performance…
I’ve seen my fair share of Adeaide Fringe shows, from Cabaret to Burlesque, Poetry to Drama and Comedy to Live Bands, it’s been heck as diverse. I’ve NEVER experienced ANYTHING like this freakin’ jewel though…
There’s something quietly radical about stepping into a Fringe show that doesn’t demand laughter, shock value, or glittery spectacle – but instead asks you to simply breathe. This is THAT show.
Relaxing and Balancing – Yin Yang arrives at the 2026 Adelaide Fringe like a gentle exhale amid Mad March chaos, offering audiences a rare invitation: slow down, reconnect and importantly a reset.
Created by Hong Kong’s On/Off Theatre & Workshop, this 45-minute immersive experience blends Chinese Qigong, expressive physical theatre, and the resonant vibrations of singing bowls into what feels less like a performance and more like a guided journey inward. The premise is beautifully simple – in a world where our minds rarely switch off, balance between Yin and Yang becomes essential for mental and physical wellbeing.
From the moment the space settles and the venue lights dim, the three performers move with intentional calm. Every gesture feels considered, every sound purposeful. The soft metallic resonance of the bowls washes through the room while slow, meditative movement gently encourages the audience to release tension they didn’t even realise they were carrying. Me included.
This isn’t theatre in the traditional sense. Faaaaaaar from it. There’s no storyline to chase, no punchline to wait for. Instead, the show works on energy – shifting the atmosphere from restless Fringe frenzy into something grounding and restorative. You feel shoulders drop. Breathing deepens. Time stretches.
This is NOT everybody’s cup of coffee, and that is fine, this is for the TEA drinkers and those looking for something that resonates deeper.
“The performers genuinely guide audiences toward stillness, drawing from centuries-old philosophy where harmony between opposing forces creates wellbeing and clarity…”
Markus Hamence
What makes Relaxing and Balancing particularly special is its sincerity. There’s no pretence here. The performers genuinely guide audiences toward stillness, drawing from centuries-old philosophy where harmony between opposing forces creates wellbeing and clarity.
And in a festival known for sensory overload, that becomes its greatest strength.
Audience reactions already label it a ‘Hidden Gem’, praising it as ‘a beautiful exploration of finding your balance’, and that description hits the bulls-eye perfectly.
Walking back out into the Adelaide night afterwards feels different – quieter somehow. The traffic noise softens, the devil-may-care, conversations slow, and for a fleeting moment, Fringe-goers carry a sense of calm usually missing from festival season.
Relaxing and Balancing – Yin Yang isn’t about escapism. It’s about returning to yourself.
A peaceful pause in the middle of Mad March – and perhaps one of the most unexpectedly nourishing experiences of the 2026 Adelaide Fringe.
Relaxing and Balancing – Yin Yang
Tuesday 24 February – Saturday 28 February 2026
The Warehouse Theatre, 8 (rear) Unley Rd, Entry via Chances Ln, Unley, Kaurna
Tickets
