Fringe Memories - 2004

Karen Hadfield's Memories of 2004 and 2006

added by rahult on 6:23 AM, September 04, 2009

Karen Hadfield was the Director of the 2004 and 2006 Adelaide Fringe. Her memories of this time include:

• The spontaneous dance-offs when the office got too serious
• The enthusiasm, commitment and creativity of the artists and the staff to make the thing work!
• Drinks in the “other office”
• Highly recommend the 15 minute standing meeting – very effective!
• The reasons why I am called Karen “drought breaker” Hadfield

Registration launch May 2005, Rooftop pool at the Rockford Hotel; all through the bump-in and when the guests first arrived it hailed and it rained and then gale force winds threatened to stop the day going ahead… but miraculously at show time, the clouds parted and the sun shone on us all – all hail the Fringe!

Poster launch November 2005, Fringe Alley. Abseiler on stand by, Minister Hill on stand by; all the invited guests looking gloomy and pessimistic and huddled under umbrellas AS IT POURED down. Do we cancel? Not at all; we spot a patch of blue in the sky – BOM says it will be with us in 10 minutes – stand by everyone rain stops abseiler descend; poster revealed; and as the last word of the last speech is delivered; the rain begins to pour…

Opening Night 2006; the entire East End and parade route are deserted as torrential rain floods the park and most of Adelaide; the parade participants battle on making last minute adjustments to their floats… then… (after talking to every radio station) by 7pm the rain clouds disappear and 100,000 people come from out of nowhere; the show goes on and all is fab!

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