Show reviewed: 22/03/26

Show rating: A red hot 5 stars!

When you lose something, they often say to go back to the last place you were when you had it. And so I shall start this series of Adelaide Fringe Festival review retrospectives for the 2026 season with the final production I saw coming in at show 75, Red District – Unleashed. It is a visually spectacular production, the perfect mix of raunchy aerial and dance creativity with a cast of imposing, provocative and frankly ferociously Amazonian queens performing terrifyingly daring acts of artistry. Except for the charming and naughty host, Hew Parham, and yes I do want his job…

Everything about this production was of the highest quality and strictly professional as every single artist owned the audience from the minute they set shiny thigh high boot out there dripping with sex and sensuality as the absolute mistresses of the stage. The crowd clearly loved worshiping them as the goddesses teased, titillated and dominated their way through the night. There was a seamless transition between the dance choreography and aerial work so that the deliciously forbidden fantasy of being in an European red light district haze wasn’t broken.

It was a completely immersive experience from the moody lighting and minimalist sets that demonstrated less can be more when creating an erotic atmosphere and firmly placed the audience into the exciting role of a voyeur and the taste anticipation was a tangible thing. The costumes were sexy with just the right amount hint of kink and the soundtrack of popular music reimagined for darker purposes created a really sexy night club vibe (the kind where vampires might hang out.)

Since being founded by Australian Pole Dance Champion, performing artist (and proprietor of Adelaide’s, The Pole Boutique) Carlie Hunter in 2020, House of Hunter Productions have consistently created award winning and sold out shows. Their first outings as presenters were at the Adelaide Fringe were in 2023 and they have moved strength to strength being is a 2026 Fringe Grant Recipient, with the producer Carlie Hunter also receiving an Arts Unlimited grant as an Early Career Producer Mentorship for the 2026. You can see the benefits of mentorship and what a fringe grant can do for the maturity of a producer’s professional career development and Carlie was mentored by acclaimed magician and illusionist, Matt Tarrant.

The cast of talent has performed all over the world and are among the very best performers of a year where the sexy circus/ physical theatre for adults genre has really thrived at the Adelaide Fringe. I will be going to see more of House of Hunter Productions for my own entertainment in the future!

Words by Clara Santilli on 02/04/26.