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This show belongs to the Adelaide Fringe 2026 season. This season is now over.

A girl in a yellow raincoat holds an umbrella and she smiles looking up at the rain. Behind her, on lined paper are colourful, hand drawn raindrops
Adelaide Fringe 2026

'The Soaking of Vera Shrimp' from Patch of Blue

During an almighty rainstorm, Vera Shrimp discovers she has a remarkable gift. She can read raindrops, each one having soaked up an emotion from someone the water has come into contact with. But as her family disintegrates, Vera’s extraordinary ability takes on a darker and more urgent significance. Part science lesson, part story-telling, this is a poignant and playful solo-show about love, grief and never giving up from the team behind the highly acclaimed 'We Live By the Sea'.

For 'The Soaking of Vera Shrimp'

★★★★ “Achingly beautiful and utterly compelling” The Telegraph

★★★★ “A sparkling solo show… an utter delight” The List

For Patch of Blue

★★★★.5 "subtly captures the injustice" The Advertiser
★★★★★ 'delicately simple and wrenchingly complex...it is unmissable' Adelaide Theatre Guide

Presented by: Patch of Blue, Verse Unbound and Joanne Hartstone Presents, Commissioned by Archimedes Theatre Project, China

Patch of Blue recently produced Alex Howarth's CASSIE AND THE LIGHTS- an award-winning play with music they have brought to London, Australia, Edinburgh and New York. Their play WE LIVE BY THE SEA toured the world including two seasons at Adelaide Fringe where it won a weekly Best Theatre award and the Graham F Smith Peace Foundation Award. They are the recipient of Critic's Pick and Best Theatre of the Year in the New York Times and Best Theatre of Edinburgh Fringe in The Stage. 'Joanne Hartstone Presents' is one of the most awarded presenter/curator/producing companies in the Adelaide Fringe. Joanne is a South Australian theatre maker, performer, playwright, director, and producer, specialising in international collaborations, theatre, cabaret, and immersive/site-specific events.
Theatre and Physical Theatre • Solo Show
International • Australian Premiere
 
Previous Award Winner
 
Fringe Fund Recipient
Reviews
  •   6
  •   13
  •   4
  •   1
  •   24
  •          

    Vera Shrimp announces that there’s going to be bits about science and bits about her. The combination is both fascinating and heartbreaking. - Murray Bramwell, InDaily

  •          

    She can read raindrops, each soaked with emotion. It’s whimsical. It’s devastating. - James Murphy, The Scoop

  •          

    It’s a play that will have you wanting to wrap your arms around Vera and protect her from the heartaches she’s endured. - Scott, A Thousand Words

  •          

    A charming premise belies a weighty story of grief from performer Martha Walker - Jo Laidlaw, The List

  •          

    Martha hits the mark EVERY.FREAKIN’.TIME! - Markus Hamence, On Your Markus

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Suitability & warnings

Content rating: MA15+
Target audience: High School (15-17)
Suicide/Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Mental Health
Coarse Language: Occasional, Mild

Please note

Also contains discussion of death and some audience interaction

Accessibility

 
High audio content
 
Audience members interact from the seated or standing area

Presenter

Presented by: Patch of Blue, Verse Unbound and Joanne Hartstone Presents, Commissioned by Archimedes Theatre Project, China

Patch of Blue recently produced Alex Howarth's CASSIE AND THE LIGHTS- an award-winning play with music they have brought to London, Australia, Edinburgh and New York. Their play WE LIVE BY THE SEA toured the world including two seasons at Adelaide Fringe where it won a weekly Best Theatre award and the Graham F Smith Peace Foundation Award. They are the recipient of Critic's Pick and Best Theatre of the Year in the New York Times and Best Theatre of Edinburgh Fringe in The Stage. 'Joanne Hartstone Presents' is one of the most awarded presenter/curator/producing companies in the Adelaide Fringe. Joanne is a South Australian theatre maker, performer, playwright, director, and producer, specialising in international collaborations, theatre, cabaret, and immersive/site-specific events.