Sunday Arts Magazine

5 Jun 2017

Interview:Ali McGregor, co-Artistic Dir of Adelaide Cabaret Fest

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Interview:Ali McGregor, co-Artistic Dir of Adelaide Cabaret Fest

Fabulous singer and cabaret performer Ali McGregor is co-Artistic Director (with Eddie Perfect) of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival (ACF) on from 9 to 24 June. It’s the BIGGEST festival of its kind in the world with many international acts as well as Australian ones. About 150 in all!

Ali talks about her singing career which started with opera; then touring with cabaret group Le Clique and creating her own shows; and then curating the Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night which has been going on at the Melb Comedy Festival for 11 years now. Doing the Variety Night gave Ali useful skills for her present job; and she’d also attended and performed in previous festivals–and loved it.

The ACF is put on by the Adelaide Festival Centre which is where most of the acts are shown but, due to refurbishments this year, the Speigeltent and Her Majesty’s Theatre are also being used. The Centre also has late night clubs, a winter garden and food so patrons don’t have to go anywhere else. Many Melburnians fly over especially for the Festival and many patrons fit 2 or 3 shows in one night as shows are only about an hour long and not usually expensive.

Ali then talks about some of the shows and performers including: Bridget Everett; Murray Hill-hosting Backstage Club; Dillie Keane; Roulston & Young; Dusty Limits; Kim Smith; Lady Rizo; Camille O’Sullivan & Paul Kelly(Ancient Rain); Meow Meow; Peter & Bambi; Briefs; Bourgeois & Maurice; Lance Horne and ALAN CUMMING.