About - So Soiree I 7-22 October 2023

About

So Soiree is back in 2023!

The So Soiree Fringe Garden is proudly produced by City of Stonnington and part of Melbourne Fringe Festival. The program is back in 2023 with a bigger and brighter program with offerings for everyone.

Kickstarting the festival on 7-8 October is our Prahran Square Circus and Street Arts Spectacular. A fabulous and FREE line-up for the whole family featuring some of Australia’s best circus and street art talent. 

Making its Victorian Première in Prahran Square from 10 – 22 October is Speed. The Movie. The Play. Parking itself centre-stage within the Square, climb on-board a vintage bus to watch this shameless homage to the 1994 action thriller ‘speed’ the film

The Grattan Gardens program from 12-22 October is for the roaming revelers, creatures of the night, art darlings and social butterflies. The 10-day program under the Ukiyo Circus tent showcases renowned artists pushing the boundaries of comedy, circus, cabaret and burlesque. Star-studded with impressive acts and outstanding shows, you will be crying with laughter, blushing with delight and euphoric from an excellent night out.

So Soiree Fringe Garden is a vibrant and dynamic festival precinct in the heart of Prahran. Start the journey with a cheeky drink (or two), then head to the box office and grab a ticket to something quirky, hilarious or jaw droppingly good!

After your show, immerse yourself in the fringe garden before continuing the Soiree into Prahran’s finest hospitality venues.

Content warnings and event classifications

Content warnings and event classifications are listed on each event’s listing and are provided by the event’s producer to help you make informed choices about which performances you attend. When you book or attend an event as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival, please ensure you’ve read the content warnings and event classifications and that they are suitable for everyone attending/viewing with you.

All performers have been asked to provide warnings, including whether an event contains sudden loud noises, strobe lighting or potentially triggering content. These will be advertised on each event’s online listing. Please read them carefully and get in touch if you have any queries.

Suitable for all ages (No legal restrictions.)

Parental Guidance Recommended (No legal restrictions, but parents are encouraged to assess the suitability of material for younger viewers)

Mature Audience Recommended (Not recommended for viewers under 15 years old, but no legal restrictions apply)

Mature Audiences Only (Not suitable for viewers under 15 years old. Viewers under 15 cannot legally watch unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian)

Restricted to Adults (Not suitable for viewers under 18 years old. Viewers under 18 cannot legally watch even if with a parent or adult guardian)

How to get in
(or out of…) the Zone

Use the Comfort Zone ratings on our website to help you decide if you want to stay in it, push against it or step the hell out of it.

This zone is for user-friendly or traditional events that promise a good time. Thought provoking or funny rather than controversial.

These experiences are for the bold among us looking for something equally experimental and unforgettable, something wild and out there and maybe even a tiny little bit (or a lot) of audience participation.

For experiences that are outside of the box or unique. Expect performances that include non-conventional storytelling and take you on a ride (metaphorically rather than literally).

Getting here

So Soiree Fringe Garden is located at Grattan Gardens, Prahran. Enter the festival via Greville Street, at the south end of the park. Across the road from 128 – 140 Greville Street, Prahran. Public Transport There are two public transport options to So Soiree Fringe Garden – train or tram, you can plan your journey using the Public Transport Victoria website.

Train

Catch the Sandringham line to Prahran Station. So Soiree Fringe Garden is located 160 metres from Prahran train station. Exit the station at Porter Street and make your way North up Porter Street. Turn right at Greville Street. The festival entrance is located near the corner of Greville Street and Grattan Street. The Sandringham train line and Prahran station are wheelchair and mobility scooter accessible. Find out more about accessibility on Metro Trains website.

Tram

Catch the number 72 tram and alight at stop 29 Porter Street/Commercial Road. So Soiree Fringe Garden is located 203 metres distance from this tram stop. Head East along Commercial Road and turn right at Grattan Street. Continue to the end of Grattan Street and turn left at Greville Street. The festival entrance is located near the corner of Greville Street and Grattan Street. Route 72 is partly serviced by low floor trams, although there are no level access tram stops on the East end of Commercial Road. Find out more about accessibility on Yarra Trams website.

Parking

There are a number of street car parks outside Grattan Gardens along Grattan Street and Greville Street. Prahran Square carpark is 180 metres from Grattan Gardens – located at 30-40 Izett Street, Prahran. Prahran Square carpark has accessible parking bays, with travelators and elevators to both levels.

Accessibility and inclusion

So Soiree is committed to access and inclusion for all people. We endeavour to make our So Soiree produced events as accessible as possible. We recognise that the experience of disability and accessibility is diverse and unique to individuals, and that artists and audience members still face barriers to access, and we strive to remove as many of these as we can. We understand that we won’t always get it right, and we always love to receive feedback about how we can improve as well as what we did well.

So Soiree Fringe Garden is located at Grattan Gardens, Prahran. Enter the festival via Greville Street, at the south end of the park. Across the road from 128 – 140 Greville Street, Prahran.

Accessible parking is available at Prahran Square car park, located 180 metres from Grattan Gardens at 30-40 Izett Street, Prahran. Prahran Square carpark has accessible parking bays, with travelators and elevators to both levels, and a Changing Places facility.

Accessible public transport options are available via train outlined in the above section ‘Getting here’.

The Ukiyo Tent is located up 3 steps, on the raised grass area of the park. There is a ramp located to the left of the stairs, and our staff are always available to provide assistance.

There is a wheelchair accessible bathroom located towards the north end of the event site. There is also a Changing Places facility located nearby at Prahran Square on the Chatham Street end, next to the Services and Visitor Hub.

So Soiree is dedicated to safety and inclusivity. Feeling safe enough to let go and immerse yourself in any experience at So Soiree should be the norm. We expect 100 per cent consideration of all genders, cultures, subcultures, and sexual orientations. We expect 100% consensual behaviour. If you see something that isn’t right, let a So Soiree staff member know.

So Soiree Fringe Garden and The Parlour are wheelchair accessible. Make sure you tell us about any access requirements when booking your tickets so we can better assist you.

Hearing loops or assistive listening systems are available at the venue for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. These systems transmit sound from the event directly through a person’s hearing aid or through a set of headphones provided by the venue.

We recommend you contact Melbourne Fringe Festival directly on (03) 9660 9600 for further information or assistance.

Contact us

For media or photo opportunities, please contact the Communications and Media Unit at City of Stonnington on 8290 1333 and council@stonnington.vic.gov.au.

Venue Partners

Accommodation Partner