Adelaide's Comedy Haven

Although the iconic Frome Street building is gone, the spirit of local comedy has moved with Rhino Room to their new location on Pirie Street

feature (adelaide) | Read in About 2 minutes
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Published 16 Feb 2018
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39658 original

Established in 1998, Rhino Room began as an offshoot of Urban Cow Studio, providing a venue for emerging performing artists in the same way Urban Cow provides an opportunity for emerging visual artists. The venue is the year-round home of Adelaide Comedy, the locally-run platform for early career comedians. Within the Adelaide comedy scene, the Rhino Room family are well known. Open Mic nights held every Monday keep fresh faces in the spin, and they offer support and performance opportunities for all. Their weekly shows heavily feature locals, but also pull interstate comics like Rhys Nicholson.

Although the annual program is packed with laughs all year, the festival season sees Rhino Room really break into its stride.

The Rhino Room Late Show is hosted by Adelaide local Craig Egan and is the longest-running comedy late show during the Fringe season. Hitting its 16th year in 2018, the show is known for bringing together local festival favourites and big name stars, giving great appeal for audiences.

It’s not rare to have Adelaide up-and-comers open for international acts such as Stephen K. Amos, or watch Wil Anderson from the side of the stage. Their stage is a great equaliser – no matter the level of experience.

This year’s program includes Justin Matson who was recently named ‘NYC’s Funniest New Comedian’. Matson will be making his Fringe debut with Fatter Than You Think, making light of his body image issues of his past. Closer to home, Chloe Black from Tasmania discusses her recent gender transition in Transistor Sister, and Shane Dundas, one half of the Umbilical Brothers, takes on a stage alone in Believe. Amos Gill is back on home turf with Where Have I Been All Your Life, and the funniest teens around can be found at the Class Clowns SA Final.

In May of 2017, the iconic Frome Street home of Rhino Room was demolished and the future was looking bleak. An enormous crowd funding campaign was launched, and Adelaide’s 'spiritual home of comedy' was successfully moved over to their new home at 131 Pirie Street for a whole new chapter in a long history of making Adelaide laugh.

 

https://www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix?venue=Rhino+Room