The Garden of Unearthly Delights Celebrates Record-Breaking Season

The Garden of Unearthly Delights returns in 2024 from 15 Feb to 17 March.

By: Mar. 17, 2023
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

The Garden of Unearthly Delights Celebrates Record-Breaking Season

From record-breaking ticket sales and dozens of Garden shows scoring Fringe Awards and 5-star reviews, The Garden celebrated its 21st anniversary with what was undoubtedly its biggest and most extravagant season ever.

An estimated 700,000 people have flowed through the gates across 32 days and nights to see and experience the magical festoon-lit performance wonderland situated in the stunning surrounds of Kadlitpina/Rundle Park.

In its world debut season, The Party was praised with 4 and 5 star reviews across the course of the season. The side-splittingly hilarious and breathtaking new show from Strut & Fret (Blanc De Blanc) sold out over multiple weekends and will no doubt leave audiences talking about this show for years to come!

The hilarious and downright weird South Australian debut of Party Ghost saw two of Australia's most sought-after company acrobats (Circa, YUMMY, Circus Oz, La Soireè) behind the wheel of their own show. The hilarious and downright weird show took home the overall Best Circus award for 2023 Adelaide Fringe season, as well as a weekly award Best Circus.

Magician Ben Hart (Britain's Got Talent) also scored the overall Best Magic award for the season along with a weekly win, too!

The Garden was, once again, home to Adelaide Fringe Comedy with Ivan Aristeguieta and Andrew Hansen both taking home weekly awards for Best Comedy - and who could forget Reuben Kaye who also scored a weekly award for Best Comedy. Hard Quiz hosted by Tom Gleeson and Tommy Little secured their place in Garden history as two of our biggest selling shows ever.

The Purple Rabbit Rides Again was back after a sell-out debut season in 2022 and a brand new cast, leaving them with 5-star reviews and a weekly nod for Best Magic. The breathtaking Maho Magic Bar attracted great audiences who were mesmerized by some of the world's best close up magicians.

The Garden also boasted a packed music program in 2023 with the return of The Garden Sessions (a free concert series on Saturday afternoons, celebrating SA female Indigenous talent), appearances from Peter Combe, The Whitlams Black Stump Band, and ARIA-award-winning The Audreys who scored a weekly award for Best Music.

The cult-favourite drag brunch Smashed: The Brunch Party was back in The Garden's Spiegeltent for another year, along with the addition of a debut Friday afternoon iteration Smashed Arvo (Winner, Best Eat & Drink Weekly Award) which was part of The Garden's first-ever Friday Afternoons program - designed to make world-class entertainment accessible and enjoyable for everyone without the weekend crowds.

Kaleidoscope, a mesmerising symphony of light and sound staged in a breathtaking mirror maze, also made its South Australian debut in The Garden this year. Creative mastermind Keith Courtney's (House of Mirrors, 1000 Doors) latest work allowed Garden-goers to step inside a constantly shifting illusion that is, indeed, a giant Kaleidoscope, where no experience is the same.

This year, The Garden was proud to partner with SAFM to take a magnificent line up of superstars to the South Australian Riverland to perform a free concert for the flood devastated region in Renmark. More than 3000 people enjoyed this amazing free concert which starred Tom Gleeson, Harley Breen, Dave Thornton, Ivan Aristeguita, Laser Kiwi and more.

The Garden has additionally helped to raise the profile and much needed funds for some of SA's most regarded charities, and continued a longstanding partnership with Dulcie's Shop of Opportunity which aims to eliminate clothing waste and educate people about the perils of fast fashion.

About The Garden's record-breaking 2023 season, Michelle Buxton, Co-Director of The Garden of Unearthly Delights said:

"It has been an absolute joy to see people come together again after the recent years of uncertainty and restriction. The Garden has been alive with people socialising and having fun, seeing shows and supporting the arts.

I am hugely grateful to the South Australian public and the arts community who have come out in droves to and celebrate the performing arts like never before. Thank you for making this our biggest season ever. performing arts. I would like to thank our loyal and brilliant corporate and media partners without whom this would not be possible. And finally I would like to thank the incredible team that makes The Garden happen every year. Gardeners really are the best people!"

The Garden of Unearthly Delights returns in 2024 from 15 Feb to 17 March.



Videos