It may have been one of the very last shows I saw at the Fringe this year but the Best of the Best, hosted by Tash York, put on an absolutely cracking show and delivered the best value of any Adelaide Fringe performance this year. Living up to its name, the Best of the Best showed off a bit of theatre, some circus, stand-up comedy, and live singing, which delivered a smorgasbord of talents in the one easy-to-digest sixty-minute show. And, with the aforementioned York helming this variety spectacular, you can be sure that the audience and I all had a feast of laughs to enjoy with the wow factor that the performers provided. 

Kicking off proceedings was the one and only Mr. Dark Room himself John Robertson. Bringing his unique, interactive game to the stage for a 10-minute spot, he noticed Seedoeatreview in the front row and hilariously decided to tear shreds off me. My reward for this, some used party popper streamers. Next out, the show classed up a little as Charli Meath hit the stage. Showing off her acro and circus skills, she performed hand-balancing stunts with ease, before Bavo Freestyle next appeared to do some eye-opening basketball tricks that left the audience audibly gasping. And if Seedoeatreivew hadn’t got enough attention from the stage performers, it was Tash York who decided to sing a personal song to me (because I had seen the most shows out of all the audience) about tacos, octopuses, pickles and other things that can’t be named in this review. What an honour!

And if all that wasn’t enough, Imaan Hadchiti kept the laughs coming with a little bit of stand-up that got some big laughs, until the final act came from the very popular singer known as Leather Lungs. A Māori drag queen singing a John Farnham classic? I never thought I’d see it, but then the Best of the Best showed me a lot of things I thought I’d never see, and I absolutely loved it!

FIVE STARS *****

Reviewed by Shane Berketa