The Garden of Unearthly Delights has created an exciting, entertaining and mouth wateringly delicious Fringe-esque spin on your next “dinner and a show” experience! The Garden Feast is exactly as the name entails, as diners enjoy a feast for the senses with three courses of deliciously curated meals alongside an array of South Australian wines, paired with a visual and entertaining array of acts by various Fringe performers in this world-premiere interactive Fringe event. It’s fabulous to experience an event like this as it pairs the whimsy and entertainment of the renowned Adelaide Fringe with the culinary skills and magic found in this city, cleverly curated with passionately-produced South Australian wines. The location of the more intimate Piano Bar in the beating heart of the Garden of Unearthly Delights (GOUD) creates immediate excitement. Diners entering The Piano Bar are met with long tables covered in white tablecloths and simple and elegant place settings, all under the beautiful atmospheric festoon lights which arch throughout the branches of the handsomely towering trees of Rundle Park/Kadlitpina. A quaint wooden bar at the back enhances the South Australian experience of the evening by providing wines from the Usual Suspects Collective – a grouping of smaller premium wine producers who all have their different strengths within the wine-making space, including Ox Hardy Wines, Hesketh, Vickery Riesling, St John’s Road, Parker Coonawarra Estate and Miss Film Clare Valley. The pint-sized party popper (with booming vocals that have captured audiences world-wide) Libby O’Donovan OAM hosts the evening, introducing upcoming acts – and dishes – with her unique humour and sass. To add to the SA theme of the evening, Libby hosts while dressed in her proudly SA-branded blazer (think glittery Sturt Desert Peas and a large portrait of Mary Mackillop on her back). Libby’s sass was also matched humorously by performing comedic and storytelling magician Ben Hart, especially when he interacted with less-enthused audience members. Other performers included bands with jazzy covers of pop songs like Due Lipa’s up-beat Levitating, and a sexy balloon-headed burlesque star who gave the audience a sensually humorous balloon-strip tease routine. Some musical performers were definitely more for the background music, while others were bolder, more star-of-the-show experiences that people stopped chatting to watch. While the host, performers and musicians were all brilliant, it would have been great to have had more of them; like a fantastic dish that just doesn’t quite have enough of that mouthwatering sauce – the food was great, but would have risen to unbelievably enjoyable with a bit more of that delicious topping. For future iterations of The Garden Feast, a couple of roaming solo performers who interact brilliantly with their audiences would assist in enhancing the night and cultivating more of that unique Fringe experience, as they match the roaming socialising diners looking for some fun. Also utilising the host Libby O’Donovan for possibly one or two more songs, as the crowd (unsurprisingly) loved her, would be great. Now this is the part where this show review takes a turn into a dining review, with the food and wine being a major feature of the night’s experience. As the meals were curated by Africola restaurant owner and head Chef, Duncan Welgemoed, they maintained a meat focus, alongside Duncan’s more casual plating approach, with the entree a King George Whiting sandwich (with a satisfyingly crunchy batter), and a main of perfectly cooked Slow Roasted Porchetta with crackling to die for. The main was paired with a light and palette cleansing Potato, Braised Cabbage and Comte Gratin and a refreshing Summer Panzanella Salad with Woodside Goat’s Curd. Dessert was a luxurious Fig Vacherin with Raspberries and Vanilla Cream, and all dishes were placed in the middle of groups of four to share, encouraging more chatter and interaction over the food which was brilliant for allowing strangers to become friends. These dishes were also thoughtfully spread out across the three hour evening, which allowed for casual chatter, diners to focus more on performances, and some stand-up mingling. Between acts and during the background smooth jazz music, there was plenty of time to mingle with those around you, as the air filled with friendly chatter and laughter in this joyous and connecting experience. Through the use of long-lunch tables, diners are encouraged to mingle with those around them throughout the evening, creating an experience that has more of a relaxed and welcoming picnic-party atmosphere than that of an individually-seated, restricted socialising vibe. Do not miss this opportunity for a unique Garden Feast – there is nothing else like it at this year’s Fringe! This thoroughly enjoyable world-premiere blend of live music, humour, food and wine already has us excited for what will be on the menu from the Garden next year…