Review by Markus Hamence – Shake It – Performance date: Thursday 12 March 2026. Gluttony, Adelaide, South Australia.
‘Shake It’ features the best of burlesque, sexy circus, and cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe. Hosted by pocket-rocket songstress Minnie Andrews, Shake It is one of the most fun and outrageous events at Fringe, with special guest acts from across the festival of burlesque, circus and cabaret. This will not be polite, this will not be gentle, we are SHAKING IT UP!
Thursday – Sunday catch Minnie Andrews, ensemble member Jace Gonçalves, along with a collection of different guest artists rotating throughout the festival.
Take a read of my take on the show below…
There are Fringe shows that flirt with mischief, and then there are shows that dive head-first into a bowl of sunshine and lollipops and come out strutting and seducing in stilettos. Shake It lands firmly in the latter camp – a riotous adults-only variety show that revels in burlesque, circus, cabaret and unapologetic sass. Adelaide Fringe thrives on bold, boundary-pushing entertainment, and Shake It delivers that energy in spades.
“…and then there are shows that dive head-first into a bowl of sunshine and lollipops and come out strutting and seducing in stilettos…”
Markus Hamence
Hosted by the unstoppable Minnie Andrews – a pocket-rocket vocalist with razor-sharp comic timing – the show operates like a cheeky late-night party where every act seems determined to outdo the last. Andrews anchors the chaos with powerhouse vocals and a devilish grin, guiding the audience through an ever-changing lineup of Fringe guest performers.
What unfolds is a fast-moving carousel of talent: dazzling circus feats, seductive burlesque routines, and cabaret numbers that oscillate between playful and downright outrageous. One sec you’re watching a performer twist themselves into gravity-defying shapes, the next you’re cheering a glitter-drenched striptease that’s equal parts comedy and confidence. The beauty of the format is its unpredictability – with guest artists (Jace Gonçalves a stand-out with two numbers the night we saw it) rotating through the show, no two nights are exactly the same.
The crowd at Gluttony’s Virago tent laps it up. Laughter erupts, cheers ripple through the room and the atmosphere becomes a shared wink between stage and audience. Shake It never pretends to be polite theatre – the show openly embraces the cheeky, risqué and joyfully ridiculous side of Fringe culture.
“…the show openly embraces the cheeky, risqué and joyfully ridiculous side of Fringe culture…”
Markus Hamence
Visually it’s a spectacle too. Sequins shimmer under the lights, feathers whirl through the air, aplenty of skin glistens and circus acts deliver genuine jaw-dropping moments between the cabaret swagger. It’s the kind of show that thrives on big personalities, big (and then little) costumes and bold stage presence – and thankfully the performers bring plenty of both.
What makes Shake It stand out during the packed Fringe season is its sense of celebration. This is a love letter to variety entertainment: the burlesque tease, the circus thrill, the cabaret voice belting into the night. It feels loose, wild and gloriously alive – exactly what Adelaide Fringe audiences crave when the festival city comes out to play.
Wrap-up: Shake It is outrageous, unapologetic and wildly entertaining – a late-night Fringe party where burlesque glamour meets circus daring and cabaret attitude. If you like your festival shows loud, cheeky and dripping in glitter, this one absolutely lives up to its name. Get all over this one rockstars!
Shake It
Thursday 19 February – Sunday 22 March 2026
The Virago at Gluttony – Rymill Park
Tickets
