If you've ever wondered what clubbing looked like in the 80s, then I can safely confirm that PLAYBACK by emerging South Australian production company Cocktail Creative knows how it was done.

Bringing together a talented and highly energetic cast of performers, PLAYBACK immerses audiences into a world where velvet scrunchies, double denim and giant shoulder pads thrive and the OG partying antics make you feel like you're on the ultimate trip of your lifetime.

Kicking off the festivities, the show started off with a little trivia, where sell-out hits were played on the boombox for audiences to recognize four components - the title song, the artist, the year it was released, and the movie that it appeared in. Being one of the younger people in the crew, it was entertaining to see the audience members get into the groove and get the facts right. Next, we were treated to a sing-off that incorporated some improvised dancing from audience members who might as well be born to perform - a wonderful way to warm up the audience for what was to follow.

With a secret knock, we were then escorted into the neon-lit club space of Loverboy, where the performance-based magic unfolded in its best form. Offering audiences with an interactive space to wander around in, the cast of six performers were able to entrance everyone in their room with their brilliantly-synchronized choreography that accompanied the greatest hits of the 80s, whilst also flirtatiously vibing to the ambience of the club with their animated facial expressions.

Dressed in clothes that are classic and synonymous with the 80s fashion era, we saw the vivacious energy make its way across the spacious dancefloor, as audiences were entranced by the movements of each individual. Effortlessly owning each soundtrack that is delightfully filled with throwbacks to the classics in jazz, pop, and punk rock, the cast dazzled with their well-executed dancing to some serious bangers - from The Clash's Rock the Casbah to Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Right Round to Michael Jackson's Beat It and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time and everything in between! Oh and let's not forget the collaborative efforts to nail every single move to Tina Turner's Nutbush - it reminded me of a Zumba class that I would happily sign up to, in a heartbeat.

This show is a flawless visual spectacle in many forms, but most importantly, it provides audiences with a solid time of entertainment. The performers are able to seamlessly bounce between their routines and interact with the audience in ways that create an inviting and energetic space.

Walking into the little laneway that housed the glorious and neon-lit club that is Loverboy, I had no idea what to expect. Going to a show like this alone can seem daunting and nerve-wracking but trust me when I say that this was, hands down, one of my most favourite shows of the Adelaide Fringe season 2021.