Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates X) ~ Adelaide Fringe 2026 ~ Theatre Review

[Theatre and Physical Theatre • Theatre         International • Australian Premiere] The Studio at Holden Street Theatres Wed 18 Feb Every year Holden Street Theatres gives awards for a production from the Edinburgh Fringe to present at the Adelaide Fringe. This time it was presented to Jade Franks for her monologue Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates X). Franks takes a spikey look at the British class and University systems through a retelling of what happens to a young woman from Liverpool who aspires to get more from her life, and sees a Cambridge degree as the way to achieve this. The play begins with a bright and athletic central character, also called Jade (autobiographical?) working in a pensioner call centre where to amuse herself she delights in seeing if the caller will resort to any or all of three things: denigrating her personally, Liverpool generally, or ask to speak to the Manager. This section is amusing to watch but is occasionally difficult to follow through a combination of loud music and Scouse accent, but once acclimatised it provides Franks with some great comic moments. Eventually this grinds her down and she applies and is accepted into university, where she slams straight into the snobbery of fellow students from day one. “Which school did you go to?’. Ridicule of her Scouse accent. We see Jade juggling the financial need to work with the rigours of university life and her need to be accepted by her peers. There are some cringeworthy observations directed at condescending staff, university traditions and student snobbery, but ultimately this is a simple tale about self-discovery and working out what is most important to her – social pretensions or being true to herself. Franks has won glowing reviews for this show in the UK and it is easy to see how it resonates there. Transferring it to an Australian audience’s sensibilities means a few gags and tweaks may need to be massaged for this new context, but it is full of fun, heart, and satire, and well worth the price of a ticket. Come see it. 4.5 Stars Cathy Tune Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates X) performs at The Studio at Holden Street Theatres at various times until Sun 22 Mar. Purchase tickets HERE. #TheClothesline #ADLFringe