The Adelaide Insider

At Adelaide Fringe, where chaos and creativity collide in the best possible way, Music & Mayhem: Rebellion plants its flag firmly in the realm of the unapologetic. Staged within the intimate confines of Ukiyo at Gluttony, this fierce queer punk cabaret from Jazida Productions is a riot of live music, burlesque, aerial arts and fire. It celebrates rebellion, authenticity and radical queer joy with a kind of gleeful defiance that feels both timely and necessary. The atmosphere hums with grit and glamour in equal measure, inviting the audience into a space where binaries are burned, rules are broken, and self-expression reigns supreme.

The heartbeat of the evening is nonbinarycode, a genre-defying four-piece from Ngunnawal/Ngambri land. Hosting the show and also on vocals, InkBits delivers with emotional punch and raw clarity, while The Hardman drives the sound with grungy, snarling guitar work. Erwin underpins it all with thumping, insistent bass lines, and Racso keeps the engine running with sharp, propulsive beats. Together, their sound ricochets from snarling punk to aching balladry, reimagining icons like Bowie’s Rebel Rebel and Gaga’s Born This Way while weaving in original tracks that feel tailor-made for the performers they underscore. Their sound is as fluid as the identities celebrated on stage, and the result is a soundscape that does not simply accompany the acts but actively electrifies them.

August Peach opens with a powerful floor routine set to Genderevolution, an original track by nonbinarycode, and wastes no time in making a statement. Wrapped in a rhinestone-studded genderfluid flag, they slowly unveil a bubblegum pink two-piece adorned with chains, platform heels and a spiked collar. Pronouns scrawled across their body transform costume into manifesto. Their movement is slick and self-assured, weaving together floor work, splits, twerking and razor-sharp heel work with effortless control. It is sensual, defiant and unmistakably powerful, a bold declaration of identity that demands to be seen on its own terms.

Jazida’s Fabulous Fan Dancers, spearheaded by the show’s Producer Jazida and featuring the talents of Sara Martini, Artemis Seven, Eros Storm and The Cherrybomb, sweep in with a sensational silk fans number to Hey Let’s Play, another original track by nonbinarycode. Clad in tartan-heavy punk looks that wink at Vivienne Westwood, they wield rainbow ombré silk fans with precision and flair. The choreography is crisp, the visuals dazzling, and the effect is pure kinetic joy. It is a riot of colour and synchronisation that proves rebellion can be exquisitely coordinated.

Following a moment of reflection on queer history and the persecution of gay men during the The Holocaust, 2Joocee takes on Lady Gaga’s Born This Way in a live cover performed by the band. Their costume is a glittering kaftan in red, gold and black sequins, paired with a matching head wrap that appears to echo the colours of the Aboriginal flag. 2Joocee lip syncs with intensity but also surprises the audience by singing parts of the track live, delivering vocals that are raw and full of conviction. Their act is supported by back-up dancers Jazida, The Cherrybomb and Sara Martini, who each hold pink triangles: the symbol used to label gay men during the Holocaust. Existing both as a tribute and a reclamation, the act transforms pain into pride by reclaiming history with unapologetic force.

ICKY first appears in a haunting tableau set to Nights in White Satin by The Moody Blues, reimagined by nonbinarycode. Dressed in a nude fishnet bodysuit and flowing black skirt, they emerge as something otherworldly, almost spectral. The performance channels the fear and stigma of the AIDS crisis, beginning with alien, disjointed movement before building into raw, physical anguish. Rose petals spill from their mouth in a moment that feels both beautiful and deeply unsettling. It is visceral, confronting and impossible to ignore.

ICKY’s return, set to Boys Wanna Be Her by Peaches, is a complete tonal pivot and all the more thrilling for it. Swapping fragility for swagger, they don a tartan corset laced with yellow, black shorts, a choker and towering boots, crowned with a striking black and yellow mullet. Armed with a whip, they crack it with precision and theatrical flair, each snap echoing through the room. With The Cherrybomb assisting, they slice petals from white roses in increasingly audacious ways, blending humour, danger and skill into a performance that is as cheeky as it is technically impressive.

The show’s Producer Jazida steps into the spotlight with a blistering fire act set to a punk-infused reworking of Eternal Flame by The Bangles. Dressed in a red and black tartan corset and glittering shorts, they embody the show’s anarchic spirit. Flames dance across their body as they twirl batons, ignite their corset for a dramatic reveal and incorporate butane bubbles that burst into fire against their skin. It is dangerous, dazzling and executed with absolute control, leaving the audience suspended between awe and disbelief.

Sara Martini delivers a lush and layered performance to Break Free, an original track by nonbinarycode, grounded in the legacy of the Stonewall Riots. She begins in a long black skirt and PVC corset, restrained by red cuffs, before freeing herself and inviting an audience member into the act by unzipping the back of her skirt. What follows is a masterclass in sensuality, from fluid floor work to a decadent martini glass routine. The inclusion of a pink brick loofah is a symbolic nod to “the first brick” that sparked the Stonewall Riots. Water cascades over her body as she moves with fluidity and control, spinning and stretching across the glass with effortless grace. It is indulgent, intelligent and utterly intoxicating.

Following an exploration of gay conversion therapy throughout recent history, Artemis Seven offers a slow-burning, hypnotic performance set to a live cover of Queer by Garbage, a song inspired by a story of a father who sends his son to a prostitute to “make him a man”. She begins in a sheer white babydoll and gloves, revealing a sparkling pink ensemble beneath as the act unfolds. Her movement is fluid and deliberate, drawing the audience in with quiet intensity. Red rose petals, a red velvet blanket and lipstick-stained white shirt create striking visual motifs that linger long after the act ends.

Isabella Ferroni quite literally lifts the show to new heights with an aerial performance set to a fierce cover of High Enough by K.Flay. Beginning in a tailored costume consisting of a red broad brimmed hat, white button up shirt and black shorts before revealing a rhinestoned ensemble hidden underneath, she takes to the air with breathtaking authority. Suspended by red straps, she twists, spins and balances with extraordinary control. The complexity of her movements is astonishing, from spinning mid-air to balancing in the splits while manipulating the hoop. It is a staggering display of strength, precision and sheer skill.

Music & Mayhem: Rebellion delivers exactly what it promises, with live music, mayhem and a strong undercurrent of rebellion woven throughout. It is bold, subversive and brimming with intent, weaving queer history into performances that are as entertaining as they are meaningful. Jazida Productions has crafted a show that celebrates diversity and difference with style and substance. At Adelaide Fringe, it stands out as a bold and inclusive celebration of identity, artistry and community. Electric, empowering and impossible to ignore, this production stands as a reminder that cabaret continues to hold undeniable power to challenge, provoke and connect.

Music & Mayhem: Rebellion
Dates: Tuesday 10 – Sunday 22 March 2026
Location: Ukiyo, Gluttony: Rymill Park, Adelaide SA 5000
Rating: ★★★★½