In the exquisite Grand Hall at Carrick Hill, in a concert by a classically trained cellist currently based in London, it might come as a surprise when the first item performed is a piece entitled Tell Tchaikovsky The News. Sounds like it might be classical, but it is actually a nod to rock guitar hero Chuck Berry’s song Roll Over Beethoven.

 Things settle down a bit with a Bach prelude, but then he’s at it again with a Beatles medley, this time including Lady Madonna, Penny Lane, Eleanor Rigby and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Elsewhere in the set are songs by Bob Dylan and Neil Young. For those craving more classical music he returns to Belgian composer Eugène Ysaÿe’s Sonata for Solo Cello.

None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who has seen him perform previously. Adelaide born and raised William Jack has been returning to his hometown to play at the Fringe for a few years now, and some of the pieces played tonight are a regular part of his set-list.

William takes time between songs to explain what he is trying to do – to explore all the possibilities of his instrument, such as attaching a peg to one string which adds a Middle Eastern flavour for his song called Lights Of Dubai.

At some point the idea came to him to turn the cello horizontally like a guitar. As well as being a cellist, William also has a background in playing jazz guitar, so perhaps it was inevitable. The best example of this is his track Cellopickin’. What started out as a joke has pretty much become his signature tune.

Sometimes when he returns home he makes the time to record a new album of original compositions, and this year has been no exception. He tells us he much prefers the studios in Adelaide to those in London. The results will not be available until October, but a number of tracks are being included in the concert tonight. In the meantime we have his two previous albums This Old Cello Box Vol 1 and Vol 2 to enjoy. Being a singer songwriter in his spare time, he is also in the process of releasing an EP of original songs entitled In Between. The track he sings tonight, Anyway, is a highlight and has me very keen to hear the rest.

His performance tonight is a master class in making solo cello music entertaining. If you haven’t caught William Jack yet you might want to put a note in your diary for next year’s Adelaide Fringe!