In the South, we have the Adelaide Fringe. In the north, our Scottish friends have the Edinburgh Fringe. Both have a healthy worldwide reputation, and it’s good to see the Holden Street Theatre furthering the cross-pollination between them by sponsoring one of the best Edinburgh shows of the preceding year to make the long journey to Adelaide.

The 2026 winner was Jade Franks and her one-woman show – a Cinderella story satirically attacking the British class system – a timely topic at the moment with the monarchy currently under a blistering microscope.

Jade Franks: Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates X)

The lead character (also Jade) greets us as a poor Liverpool waif trapped in a call centre. Her only pleasure is awarding herself bingo prizes when a customer ticks the three standard demeaning comment boxes. Convinced that she is going to rise above this drudgery, Jade follows her yellow brick road south to Cambridge University and manages to con her way in as a student. However, no one must know that Jade is working as a cleaner to pay her way through,...