ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:13): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier tell the house about the program for the 2011 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) (14:14): As Minister for the Arts, I am delighted to reveal some of the details of the festival which is becoming a major feature on our events calendar, as well as our festival calendar. Last year's 10^th Adelaide Cabaret Festival was the most popular to date. It broke all previous box office records.

The annual festival has grown to become the biggest cabaret festival in the world held under one roof. South Australians and cabaret followers from around the world have warmly embraced the festival, and international artists clamour to be included.

This year marks the 11^th anniversary of the annual Adelaide Cabaret Festival. It will be Artistic Director David Campbell's third and final Cabaret Festival. In keeping with the energy and pizzazz that has been brought to the festival under David Campbell's directorship, with his associate producer and wife Lisa, this year's line-up is as dynamic as it is diverse. Since taking the reins in 2009, they have lifted the festival from what was an already significant festival to one that is even stronger.

The program offers 15 international shows, 32 Adelaide premieres, three Adelaide exclusives, seven Australian premieres and 15 world premieres. The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust received an additional one-off grant of $250,000 from the state government this financial year—in fact, it was during the treasurership of the Minister for Police, whose interest in the arts is legendary—specifically to assist in securing international headliner artists for the 2011 Cabaret Festival program.

With Australia's international chart topper, Olivia Newton-John; New York's master of song, Michael Feinstein; legendary Broadway star, Chita Rivera; Rhonda Burchmore; Jimmy Webb, who is Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame internationally; as well as Australia's much-loved country music star, Melinda Schneider; chart-topper, Leo Sayer; and Adelaide's international legend rock singer, Glenn Shorrock, heading up a star-studded list of Australian and international entertainers, there is little wonder that interest is high.

Once again, patrons will have the chance to walk the red carpet—I know some members opposite like that—and to taste the line-up of cabaret artist at the opening night variety gala performance on Friday 10 June. Opening on the Queen's Birthday long weekend, this year's festival will include 129 performances of some 47 different shows across 16 nights, with plenty of variety to appeal to different age groups, and a range of ticketed and free activities.

There will be performances paying homage to the great musical masters, as well as musical comedy, jazz, an exhibition of Peter Allen memorabilia (which I'm sure will interest many members), masterclasses, and the critically acclaimed show (having sold out four seasons at the Opera house) entitled Drag!

David Campbell and Musical Director Matthew Carey are once again working to inspire and help the next generation of cabaret artists in the weeks leading up to the festival. The High School Cabaret initiative will this year see students from Blackwood High School and Pembroke School presenting their own programmed cabaret performances during the festival.

The queue to buy tickets immediately after the launch snaked around the festival theatre foyer, and the BASS counter did not close until 12.30am the following morning, due to the very strong demand for ticket purchases. Saturday night's program launch sold 30 per cent more tickets and took 63 per cent more in the box office over last year's launch, and in the days following has continued to deliver strong sales. I understand that, as of yesterday, we have sold almost 7,000 tickets. Shows across the program are selling very well. We are already at 26 per cent of our box office target, which has been lifted by 15 per cent on last year's result.

Shows regularly sell out at this very popular midwinter festival and, given this remarkable result just days after the program launch, is expected to be the case again this year, so I urge members and the public to check out the 2011 Cabaret Festival program soon and not waste any time in making their bookings.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!