Mistakes Were Made @ Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide SA 1/2/2025

“Everyone is a storyteller these days,” Richard Fidler mocked during his opening address at Mistakes Were Made on day two of Writers’ Week. But there was nary an influencer or company CEO in sight (thankfully) to delve into an inane story nobody was interested in. Instead, a packed Adelaide Town Hall was treated to four sensational authors sharing stories of their own and other people’s faux pas.

In stellar fashion, the first speaker, Rebecca Huntley, began with a confession of a recent mistake. Believing Fidler and Sarah Kanowski would guide her through her story, à la ABC Radio National’s Conversations (with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski), she planned to wing it. Before she stepped out on stage, Huntley was told, a planned speech was expected.

The author and Director of Research at 89 Degrees East was unphased as she relayed the story of the day she got her driver’s licence. A Saab was involved. Parked cars were involved. The police were involved. As was the zinger, “the music of George Michael has been the soundtrack to many a rear end”. Mistakes were made, and Fidler gave her a chocolate bar of forgiveness.

Speaker two, former Artistic Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Julia Zemiro (RocKwiz, Eurovision, Great Australian Walks, Fisk), came prepared. She shared the mistake of an unnamed producer who sent her spiralling after referring to her as a “hired hand” during a meeting. Reflection was involved. Battre Froid was involved. Anger as a motivator was involved. Mistakes were made, and Fidler gave her a chocolate bar of forgiveness.

Speaker three, Rick Morton, is the senior reporter with The Saturday Paper and two-time Walkley Award winner for his coverage of the Robodebt Royal Commission. With such accolades, you would expect Morton’s story to be a critical narrative on a politically charged controversy. You would be incorrect.

Morton chronicled a story that resembled Trainspotting—if it was set in Queensland. With a cast of methamphetamine addicts, including his brother, Kevin and Fatboy, it was a rollercoaster ride of comedic disbelief. A severed golf club was involved. Violence was involved. Bleeding was involved. The police were involved. Mistakes were made, and Fidler gave him a chocolate bar of forgiveness.

The final speaker, Kanowski, recounted the mistake of wearing a zippered denim jumpsuit at last year’s Writers’ Week launch party before taking us on an international trip down the Amazon. As she listened upstage, Huntley sat mouth agape as Kanowski proceeded with her dialogue-driven exploration. Many canoes were involved. A cigar-smoking, denim-wearing shaman was involved. Ayahuasca was involved. Mistakes were made, Kanowski wore a buttoned denim jumpsuit this year, and Fidler gave her a chocolate bar of forgiveness.

Mistakes Were Made explored the theme of human error in an entertaining yet insightful manner. The combination of light-hearted anecdotes and reflections invited the audience to laugh at the human condition. And laugh we did. It was a great reminder that we’re all just figuring it out—one mistake at a time.

Adelaide Festival Review By Anita Kertes

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