Show reviewed: 20/02/26

Star rating: An infernal 5 stars as they lead me willingly to damnation.

Inferno is hands down my favourite production of the opening weekend at the Adelaide Fringe and I’ve seen some real bangers this festival. I was lucky enough to score a media ticket to attend the show’s preview performance at Gluttony. This year seems to be the year for seeing particularly strong circus and physical theatre shows after last year’s peak comedy turnout. There seems to be a cultural moment in the arts where people are fascinated by what happens in the dark. In Inferno, it is a sexy underworld fantasy inhabited by the weird, wild and wonderful when the lights go off.

Inferno has its origins in a local group of fire artists that meet monthly in South Australia and being the fifth anniversary of their establishment, they have decided go brighter and bigger with a Fringe show at Gluttony. Presented by Kraken Fire, hosted by the sizzling hot Clara Fable and headlined by the fiery Jessy Spin, this is definitely an erotic and adults only show that feels a little voyeuristic and totally sublime at the same time. This is a visually stunning performance with a compelling soundtrack and moody the lighting immersed the audience created a completely dark urban vibe.

What is impressive about Inferno is that many of the performers in the show have are masters of fire artistry and innovated the skills and equipment used in their acts. There were a few issues to shake out on a preview night but working with fire is like working with children and animals, I’d imagine. However, Clara Fable kept the energy up and is an absolute diva straight out of a fairytale nightmare, the enchanting sorceress who takes your soul. Jessy Spin lit up the stage with an incredible fire skirt she has innovated (that is very remarkable of flamenco dancing) and she gave a performance of ‘Roxanne’ so devastatingly beautiful I forgot to breathe proving why she is a headliner and internationally regarded among the best.