Xenides is a top dollar musical that peers behind the glitz, the glamour and the fabulous prizes of Australia’s favourite game show, Wheel of Fortune.
It’s time to take another spin and revisit Adriana Xenides, the darling of ‘TV Week’ and glossy magazines, who made a visit into almost every lounge room across Australia. She wore 4000 dresses, turned 200,000 vowels, traversed 500km in killer heels and always beamed that million-dollar smile. Adriana won our hearts, and after 19 years, won a place in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest serving gameshow hostess.
Xenides gives voice to the woman we all knew but who was largely misunderstood and misrepresented. Her story is operatic in scale: rags to riches, the migrant’s journey, the fairytale princess and the tragic icon, who died far too young.
This hotly anticipated new work by Clare Watson and her team of talented collaborators features a wonderful mash-up of ‘80s songs, from TV theme tunes to Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, alongside an original composition by electronic power-pop group, The Twoks. An energetic Australian musical exposé that is both hilarious and tender, a tribute and a protest.
Xenides is the second in a triptych of ‘80s celebrity portraits (alongside I Heart John McEnroe and The People’s Princess), conceived by Clare Watson and created by Uninvited Guests.
Details
DIRECTOR Clare Watson
MUSICAL DIRECTOR Xani Kolac
SET DESIGNER Zoë Atkinson
CAST INCLUDES Lisa Adam
COLLABORATORS INCLUDE Adriane Daff, Virginia Gay, Sophie Ross, Katherine Tonkin
SUITABILITY 16+
WARNING Adult themes.