ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:31): Thank you—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear the member for Torrens.

Mrs GERAGHTY: My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier tell the house about the 2010 Adelaide Cabaret Festival?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:31): I would like to have had more notice of that question. In the meantime, we are waiting for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to take those steps, but I do not believe he will have the courage or the conviction to do so.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: This year the Adelaide Festival Centre presented the 10^th annual Adelaide Cabaret Festival, which ran from 11 to 26 June. This festival has grown to become the biggest of its kind in the world. It has been warmly embraced by South Australians, cabaret devotees from around the world and international artists, who clamour to be part of the program. The appointment of David Campbell as artistic director, and his highly successful 2009 event, resulted in attracting ever-increasing attention for this growing event nationally and internationally.

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival received an extra $500,000 from the state government for this significant 10-year milestone, specifically to support the programming and building of the international reputation of this event and to secure the highest level of local and worldwide artists. The extra funding has assisted in attracting the very best cabaret artists to the festival from around the world for its 10^th year birthday celebrations. Singers, storytellers, musicians, dancers, political satirists, actors and comedians from around the world performed in intimate settings at the Adelaide Festival Centre. In total the program offered over 124 performances of some 46 different shows across 16 nights.

Artistic director David Campbell offered an excellent program, with highlights including:

two Australian-exclusive performances by Grammy award-winning singer Natalie Cole that I understand the Leader of the Opposition and others enjoyed—and we can see that she wears her heart on her sleeve;

the Australian premiere of Tony award winner Donna McKechnie's show My Musical Comedy Life; and

the Italian performer Ennio Marchetto, who morphed on stage into a range of cultural icons and celebrities through a series of fast paper costume changes. I understand that he is also a great fan of orecchiette.

Many top line Australian artists—including David Hobson, Robyn Archer, John Paul Young and the Allstar Band, Dick and Christa Hughes, Mic Conway's National Junk Band, John Waters, Caroline O'Connor, Marika Aubrey, and David Harris—also featured prominently in the program.

It is pleasing to note that South Australia's own home-grown talent was also showcased. In fact, 44 per cent of the artists involved in this year's cabaret festival, including the musicians, were South Australians. Notably, after a sell-out season at last year's cabaret festival, Hugh Sheridan returned with a show chronicling the life of showbiz legend Anthony Newley, and Adelaide's unusualist Raymond Crowe, who gained worldwide prominence through his hand shadow work based on the Louis Armstrong classic What a Wonderful World, was also back by popular demand.

A major initiative in this year's program was High School Cabaret, which I attended. David Campbell worked with teachers to develop skills for potential future cabaret artists, with the creative art students of Seaview and Norwood Morialta high schools. Masterclasses, under the guidance of virtuoso artists, offered a glimpse behind the cabaret curtain and a songwriters' workshop for those wanting to hone their cabaret skills. There were plenty of free offerings in the Piano Bar, including the ever popular Sing Your Own Musical and talented New York pianist Mark Nadler. In addition, the South Australian Performing Arts Collection mounted an exhibition in the Festival Theatre foyer of gems from its extensive early collection of music hall, vaudeville, burlesque and variety show posters, photographs and memorabilia.

The Cabaret Festival opening night Variety Gala Performance—a red carpet event offering a tantalising sample of performances—sold out early, and Bass processed $68,000 worth of tickets immediately following the program announcement, with ticket sales continuing to be very strong throughout the festival. I am delighted to inform the chamber that the 10^th Adelaide Cabaret Festival was the most popular on record. It broke all previous box office records, achieving a 26 per cent increase in net box office income compared with 2009—26 per cent up on the previous year's which was regarded as the stand out.

The Festival Centre was buzzing. Total attendances to ticketed and non-ticketed festival events reached over 80,000, which represents an increase of 67 per cent on the 2009 figure, due to a combination of new programming, improved food and beverage offerings, and free events. There were 33,097 tickets sold and 50 performances were sold out. I congratulate everyone involved. I congratulate David Campbell. Congratulations to the sponsors; sponsorship support increased for the event. Congratulations to the Adelaide Festival Centre for its excellent organisation of this event. I just hope and pray that the Adelaide Cabaret Festival is not the next subject of attacks by the Liberal opposition.

An honourable member: It was our idea in the first place!

The Hon. M.D. Rann: That won't stop you.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!