The Sydney Fringe Festival is back, and we had a sneak peek at some of the highly anticipated acts this year.
The performances took place in the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst, which is reopening for the Sydney Fringe Festival.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore expressed her excitement, calling the Fringe “one of the defining cultural experiences of our city.”

The Sydney Fringe Festival has returned this week, bringing a vibrant and diverse array of performances to venues across the city. This morning, we attended a special launch event at the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst, which is reopening its doors to host the Fringe after a year-long closure.

With a new venue opening exclusively for the festival, a fresh wave of exciting and diverse acts, and a brand-new CEO at the helm, the 2025 Sydney Fringe is shaping up to be one of its most exciting editions yet.

A first look at four fabulous acts

Not only did we get to step inside the Eternity Playhouse for the first time in a year, but we also caught a sneak peek of some of the acts that are gracing the Fringe’s many stages this year.

We saw the high-energy The Ghana Roadshow, soulful singers and storytellers Wright & Grainger, the daring Head First Acrobats, and the seductive burlesque show Evana De Lune.

The Ghanaian Roadshow — *The Ghana Roadshow was an exciting display of music, dance and circus acts. (Image our own).*

1. The Ghana Roadshow

The Ghana Roadshow erupted onto the stage to the sound of a soulful live trumpet and spinning beat by trailblazing female DJ Lucky Lartey. The dynamic blend of circus arts and dance is exciting to watch, but is made even better by their infectious energy and connection with the audience — clapping and cheering is very much encouraged! A visually striking celebration of the talent of African artists, this show is guaranteed to leave you smiling.

Where: Off Broadway Hub, Eternity Playhouse.
When: September 2-6.
Price: Adult tickets start at $45.

*Wright and Grainger’s show is all about powerful storytelling. (Image our own).*

2. Wright & Grainger: Orpheus

Hailing from Yorkshire in the UK, the renowned storytelling duo Wright & Grainger will present three of their acclaimed shows, Helios, Orpheus and Grandpa Poseidon at this year’s Fringe. They performed one song from Orpheus, where the titular character is actually Dave, a normal bloke from Yorkshire. His life is turned upside down when Eurydice comes into the pub and catches his attention. Wright is the storyteller, bringing the spoken word to life as Grainger joins in with extracts from well-chosen songs (Bruce Springsteen features).

The premise of the show might sound strange, but Wright & Grainger have won multiple awards for it, including Best Theatre at the 2023 Adelaide Fringe.

Where: The show will take place at two venues: Sideshow at The Rocks, 37 George Street Terrace and Pottery Lane Performance Space in Lane Cove.
When: September 4-28.
Price: Adult tickets cost $45.

It starts with a ticket! For more information or to grab a ticket, click here

3. Head First Acrobats: Elixir Revived

Cirque du Soleil meets Magic Mike? We’re in. This high-octane mix of circus, comedy and chaos is underpinned by the incredible comedic timing of the performers. The fast-paced show features jaw-dropping tricks (like the one pictured above) alongside lots of physical comedy. In Elixir Revived, the plot is all about four eccentric scientists attempting to create the Elixir of Life, before having to test the concoction on themselves (hence the gravity-defying tricks and incredible acrobatics).

Where: Fool’s Paradise, Entertainment Quarter, The Vault.
When: August 29- October 12.
Price: Adult tickets cost $45.

It starts with a ticket! For more information or to grab a ticket, click here

4. Evana De Lune

Award-winning burlesque star Evana De Lune makes her Sydney Fringe debut with a glamorous night of spectacle and showmanship. The show features international superstar Jessabelle Thunder, who is Miss Exotic World 2025 and the Reigning Queen of Burlesque, as well as host Tito Bonito, one of America’s most beloved emcees. When Evana De Lune emerges from behind a curtain of white feather fans, you’re instantly drawn into the visually stunning world that she commands.

Where: Fool’s Paradise, Entertainment Quarter, The Vault.
When: September 16-21.
Price: Adult tickets cost $45.

The Eternity Playhouse reopens its doors

The Eternity Playhouse is located right in the heart of the Fringe’s Eastern Precinct, on Burton Street in Darlinghurst. Once a place of Baptist worship, the theatre was purchased by the City of Sydney in 2004, and has since undergone restoration projects to convert the former evangelical church into a hub of arts and culture.

Unfortunately, the resident Darlinghurst Theatre Company went into liquidation in June last year, meaning that the stage has remained empty. But now, with the Sydney Fringe Festival hosting its Off Broadway Hub in the venue, its long-awaited reopening marks a new chapter. Lord Mayor Clover Moore described the Eternity Playhouse as an “iconic building” and expressed hopes that it will once again become a vibrant centre for local arts and culture, stating:

The city is planning to manage the Eternity theatre in the short term, and we have an exciting lineup of locally produced performances coming up. We are very proud that Sydney Fringe audiences will be the first to experience the grand reopening of this beloved theatre as the festival’s Off Broadway hub.

The Off Broadway Hub will take over the Eternity Playhouse from September 2-27, presenting innovative and bold shows from theatre and music to contemporary dance and cabaret.

Highlight acts include Triptych, a contemporary dance performance by rising star of the Australian dance scene, Lewis Major; The Ghana Road Show, (as seen above) and Kate Bush Unmoored, a brand-new production that will offer a bold reimagining of the haunting music of Kate Bush.

READ MORE: I’ve performed at the Edinburgh Fringe – here’s how I think Sydney Fringe Festival compares

Sydney Fringe Festival 2025 — *Some of the diverse acts performing at this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival. (Image: Daniel Boud).*

Why you should go to the Sydney Fringe

With fresh venues and a new CEO championing the Sydney Fringe Festival this year, it’s shaping up to be one of the best yet.

Patrick Kennedy, who was appointed CEO in July 2025, replacing the long-serving Kerri Glasscock, expressed his excitement at the launch of this year’s edition, stating that it’s all about “championing bold ideas, independent voices and celebrating extraordinary creativity that brings this city to life.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore also shared her enthusiasm, saying that the Fringe Festival brings an exciting alternative to Sydney’s nightlife:

“We want more colour and culture in Sydney. We’ve long supported a nightlife that is diverse and interesting and fun, and that doesn’t just revolve around drinking. This is what the Sydney Fringe Festival offers and what our global city deserves.”

With an estimated 490 events taking place at more than 80 venues across the city, this Fringe Festival is the largest and most ambitious yet.

Moore continued, “While it may still be called the Fringe Festival, I think it’s become one of the defining cultural experiences of our city.”

It starts with a ticket! For more information or to grab a ticket, click here

Sydney Fringe Festival 2025

When: Monday, September 1 until Tuesday, September 30.
Where: Citywide, now including Central Sydney, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, North Sydney and Greater Sydney.
Price: Varies per event. Please check sydneyfringe.com for full details.

Sydney Fringe Festival is BACK and we got a preview of some of this year’s hottest acts