How much content in the Festival is made up of Australian acts?
Roughly about two thirds. We have a combination of the most well known names in Australian cabaret – for example, we have the wonderful Robyn Archer with her latest performance – a guide through French cabaret, as well as some of the newest faces. But in addition to this, we have a number of well-known faces who are taking on cabaret as a new medium through which to perform. Tell us about some of the international guests you have invited to Adelaide this year. Well, the headliner is Bernadette Peters. The day after my tenure was announced last year, my wife Lisa and I sat at home and opened a bottle of champagne. We looked at each other and said ‘Now what?’. Lisa suggested that I email Bernadette’s director, Richard Jay Alexander – a friend of mine from when I lived in the US. I did and put in an offer for Ms Peters to be our first headliner. Thankfully she said yes. I don’t think we could have wished for a better performer. With regard to other internationals – we have Janet Klein – t
