Sydney Fringe Festival returns to Sydney in September and brings with it a variety of outrageous and camp shows all across the city.
The festival is the largest independent arts festival in the state, with over 450 events across 70 different venues.
One such venue is Fools Paradise, which returns to Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter on August 26 for seven weeks of acrobatics, comedy, cabaret and music.
“We can’t wait to bring Fools Paradise back to Sydneysiders this Fringe following sell-out events in Adelaide, Perth and the UK,” said Fools Paradise Director Thomas Gorham.
“With a mix of brand-new shows and returning favourites, audiences will experience pure, uninhibited entertainment across every moment. Everyone can find something to see and love this year at Fools Paradise, and we can’t wait to welcome you!”
Fresh off seasons in London’s West End and Brighton, RETURN OF THE GODZ will headline Fools Paradise, bringing with it a five-strong cast and brand-new acts.
Liam Drummer, who plays Cupid and Zeus in the new show, told Gay Sydney Daily that the group were excited to come back to Sydney.
“This is a revamped version of the show Godz that we brought to Sydney Fringe back in 2024, we’ve got an extra cast member and a few new scenes in it,” he said.
“It’s just tiny minutes of chaotic acrobatics inspired by the hedonistic landscape of the Greek gods and Greek mythology.”
Drummer said the reaction to the show back in 2024 showed that people were hungry for things that were a little bit unfiltered.
“Seeing as there was quite a bit of positive feedback from the last time we were here, we thought we’d just try and add a bit more excitement to the show and add a few more elements that might tend to show up a notch a little bit.”
This is the perfect show for the Fringe Festival, said Drummer, and he hoped audiences would leave their inhibitions at the door and be as loud as possible.
“I think we all kind of need a bit of an escape and we all need a bit of unfiltered fun at the moment, particularly with all the drama that’s happening within this landscape in Sydney at the moment with venues being shut down,” said Drummer.
“I think people are kind of desperate for a bit of joy and a bit of just seeing fringe artists doing what they do best in a raw unfiltered environment.”
Joining them under the big top is The Big Top Drag Brunch, featuring some of Sydney’s drag royalty like Etcetera Etcetera, Hannah Conda, Coco Jumbo, Vybe, Carmen Geddit and Charisma Belle.
Together, the queens will host an afternoon of bottomless laughs and big performances, with Etcetera saying it was the perfect drag experience.
“We’re taking the drag out of the clubs and bars and letting it twirl inside a big top tent, the glamour is going to be out of control,” said Etcetera.
“I’m going to be rhinestoned from the top of my wig to the bottom of my bunions, come experience the spectacle!”
Tickets are already on sale for the Fringe Festival.
