Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Ar** For England
Image: Alex Hill as Billy - photograph by Rah Petherbridge
Presented by RoxyDog
Feb 21 - March 8
The Studio
Origin: UK
Genre: Theatre / Physical Theatre
The explosive, award-winning hit returns!
A hilarious, raw story of football, fame, and identity.
One flare. One man. One bum. One story. Don’t miss it this Adelaide Fringe!
It’s the EURO 2020 Final at Wembley — and Billy’s just gone viral for sticking a flare up his ar**!
This blisteringly funny, wildly original play returns to Adelaide this Fringe after sell-out runs and international acclaim. Billy and his best mate Adam live and breathe football — it’s their escape, their religion, their life. But when a new crowd enters the scene, their loyalty and identity are pushed to the limit.
Back for a second year after winning Best Theatre Show at Adelaide Fringe 2025, this is the multi-award-winning bum flare play that’s taken the world by storm. Raw, hilarious and unexpectedly moving, Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Ar* For England!* dives deep into fandom, masculinity and belonging — with explosive results.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Sports, comedy and theatre fans should all find something to marvel at in UK writer and performer Alex’s Hill’s exuberant, hilarious and soul-searching exploration of football fanaticism and friendship." - Patrick McDonald - The Advertiser
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( and a Rocket) “Crisply directed by Sean Turner, Alex Hill’s engaging, upbeat portrayal of a London lad is inflected with pathos and unease from the outset.” Murray Bramwell - InReview (inDaily)
Duration: 60min
Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb: 7:30pm
Sun 22 Feb: 3:00pm
Tue 24 - Wed 25 Feb: 9:00pm
Thurs 26 - Fri 27 Feb: 6:00pm
Sat 28 Feb: 7:45pm
Sun 1 Mar: 3:00pm, 7:45pm
Tue 3 - Wed 4 Mar: 9:00pm
Thurs 5 - Sun 8 Mar: 6:00pm
Sat 7 - Sun 8 Mar: 12:30pm
Full price: $38.00
Concession: $30.00
Group 6+: $30.00
BankSA Cardholder: $28.50 (cap 6)
Early Bird (30% Discount): $26.60 (Cap: 6)
Pass Holder Discount: $20 (Cap: 4)
Fringe Member: $19.00 (cap 6)
Schools Program: $15.00
Companion Card: $0.00
Fees and Charges apply
All seats are General Admission
Concession Criteria - Seniors Card, Govt. Issued Concession Cards
Content Rating: M15+
Target Audience: High School (15-17) | 18+
Content Warnings: Strong Frequent Coarse Language, Strong Occasional Depicts Violence, Mild Occasional Nudity Level, Mild Occasional Sexual References, Drug Use, Loud Noises, Mental Health, Smoke Effects, Strobe Lighting, Suicide/Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
High Audio Content
Holden Street Theatres
32-34 Holden Street, Hindmarsh, Kaurna Country
Step-free mobility aid access through the main entrance with an accessible bathroom.
Meet the Team
-
Alex Hill
WRITER & PERFOMER
Alex Hill trained as an actor at the Arts Educational Schools, graduating in 2022. Since then, he has written a short film for ArtsEd and set up RoxyDog Productions. His first play Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Arse For England has had sell-out productions in London, at the Edinburgh Fringe, on tour across the UK and won the Holden Street Theatre Award and will transfer to Australia in 2025.
-
Sean Turner
DIRECTOR
Sean Turner was the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells from 2021-2023. He trained at ALRA, East 15 School of Acting and in devising with Complicité. He is responsible for unearthing the script of Arthur Miller’s first play, No Villain, which he directed at the Old Red Lion, later transferring to Trafalgar Studios 2. Sean is Associate Director on the West End and UK Touring productions of The Play That Goes Wrong, and directed the Australian, Russian, South Korean and Spanish replica productions.
-
George Cort
TECHNICIAN
-
REVIEWS
ADELAIDE FRINGE 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “ The play is funny but also at times, very sombre… Alex Hill’s performance is emotional and he puts the Energiser Bunny to shame with his wild crazy energetic performance. It deserves an acclaimed run in Adelaide.” - Geoff Jenke - HiFi Way
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”Don’t let the title of this show put you off – this is theatre at its best. It will make you laugh, make you think, and at times it will make you frustrated, but then it will touch your heart and make you want to find all your friends and give them the warmest hug possible.“ - Ben Stafanoff - Glam Adelaide
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Hill does exuberance magnificently. The tribal rituals are seductive and fun… until they are not.“ David Grybowski - The Barefoot Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”Alex Hill manages a rising inflection of theatrical energy right to a crisis, pulling the audience all the way with him.“ - Tim Lloyd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Alex Hill as Billy is excellent, he gives us a convincing demonstration of sheer bloody-mindedness, thankfully tempered with amusing moments of self-awareness. The Director of the piece, Sean Turner sets a galloping pace all the way, drawing out a very impressive performance.” David Jobling - Fifty Plus SA
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Alex Hills’ comic timing is on full display and every part of his performance is deliberate and well executed… kicks goals on pathos, relevance, comedy and entertainment - Catherine Tune - The Clothesline
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “ A high-energy football romp, which explores patriotism, mateship, and the need to belong. This production deserves a large audience” - Kerry Cooper - Stage Whispers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Alex is an amazing talent. He holds your attention for over 75 minutes, leaving the audience feeling nearly as exhausted as Alex. 5 out of 5 stars from me. - Kenneth Stephens - On The House Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Hill does exuberance magnificently. The tribal rituals are seductive and fun… until they are not.“ David Grybowski - The Barefoot Review
“Alex Hill – by turns gutsy and charming – connects all ages in laughter.” - Paul Bard - Australian Arts Review
