Fringe Fringe gets Unearthly start

THE Adelaide Fringe gets an early start with the opening of the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

Fringe Festival ... Empress Stah test drives the carousel at the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

THE 2008 Adelaide Fringe gets an unofficial early start tonight with the opening of the Garden of Unearthly Delights in Rundle Park.

A record 110 shows will be performed in the Garden's seven tent venues over the next four weeks.

"It's significantly more . . . we had 70-something shows last year," Garden co-producer Michelle Buxton said yesterday.

Two new venues, The Pod and an early-1900s European tent called Le Cascadeur, have been added to last year's five.

Chopper's Bingo by Heath Franklin has already sold out, with shows by fellow comedians Arj Barker, Jimeoin and musical acrobatics troupe Tom Tom Club also selling strongly is "strictly liberal adults-only". "The only place I draw the line is animals and children," Stah says.

Heading this year's new acts is burlesque circus artist Empress Stah, from London's underground cabaret circuit, who opens wearing only gold glitter.

Her Fringe show, The Best of Empress Stah, promises: "Everything is fair game: it's blasphemous, it's politically incorrect, it's pornographic, it's colourful, it's humourous."

The Garden will also host the new BankSA Concert Series with free performances on its bandstand every day at 5.30pm and children's concerts each Saturday and Sunday at 3.30pm.

Tonight's party is open to the public from 9pm and features music by the Crusty Suitcase Band and DJ Kat Kid as well as roaming performers.