Quirky comedy, a personalised Veena recital, and immersive theatre on domestic violence are some of the South Asian offerings this year. (Melbourne and Sydney Fringe 2025)
SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL (1-30 SEPTEMBER)
Artificially Unintelligent: Show about Humans, AI’s and Scams
Aditya Gautam, of ‘Don’t Call Me a Papadum’ and ‘Unskilled Immigrant’ fame returns with a brand-new hour, this time dissecting technology, intelligence, and modern-day scams.
And What Will People Say?
Some of Australia’s foremost classical Indian artists, including Indu Balachandran, Pirashanna Thevarajah and Narthana Kanagasabai, come together to confront domestic violence through a fusion of Indian dance, music and poetry.
Unbound
An ode to the feminine in Indian classical arts and the modern woman, woven by an ensemble of Bharatanatyam dancers, a Carnatic vocalist, a Nattuvanar, a Mridangam player, and a Flautist.
An Exploration of Sitar by Ravi
Hear the sitar like never before as Ravi Ramjas invites guest audience collaborators and bends genre to play creative covers of popular songs.
Cookies & Cream
QLD Raw Comedy runner up Sahib Rana and observational comic Liam Daley make a sweet combination, blending culture and personal quirks into a comedy showcase. Also showing at Melbourne Fringe.
ShamStock
Stock footage and meta-theatricality collide as Shamgodds bring their strange entrepreneurial performance practice to the stage, taking aim at the meaningless nature of stock videos.
MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL (30 SEPTEMBER-19 OCTOBER)
The Lucky Country
The premiere of a highly anticipated original musical from Vidya Makan and Sonya Suares which questions what it means to be Australian.
Who wants to be a Citizen?
From leaving Sri Lanka during the civil war, to becoming a Raw Comedy National Finalist, Nadun Hetti shares his unique story with unapologetically bold punchlines.
Sunny the Funny Bunny
A half-Aussie, half-Indian IT project manager makes his stand-up debut, laughing at the madness of juggling careers, children and cultures. Melbourne and Sydney Fringe 2025
Jugalbandi
Classic South Asian music is reinterpreted by a vibrant new ensemble, led by two former Indian Idol contestants, a showcase of the subcontinent’s dynamic sounds.
First Trimester
London-based performance artist Krishna Istha continues the world-wide search for their perfect sperm donor, in a series of irreverent interviews exploring human connection and parenthood.
For the full Melbourne and Sydney Fringe 2025 program, and to find out more about these shows, visit the Sydney Fringe Festival website and Melbourne Fringe Festival website.
