The glitz and glam of cabaret season has been capturing hearts and minds in Auckland.
With just one week left to check out the remaining shows on offer, two of the Kiwi artists involved are sharing why this year's themes are so important.
"It's really lively, it's really thrilling, it's really exciting and you can feel that juicy energy of everyone when they arrive," performer Hannah Tasker-Poland told Newshub.
"Everything about the cabaret season really makes you feel as though this is a place you want to be."
Set over 10 days and nights, more than 20 cabaret shows have been lighting up Auckland's Civic Theatre.
Kiwi stars like Finn Andrews, Julia Deans and Rutene Spooner are among 140 artists giving life to the underground world.
Tasker-Poland's show The Most Naked explores and challenges the ideals of the feminine form.
"Look at the history of how the feminine form has both been so worshipped and idolised and very idolised and repressed," she said.
With burlesque as inspiration, Tasker-Poland uses dance, theatre, and live music to delve into ideas around recontextualising nudity.
"My main thing is that it's thought-provoking, I would love it if people go 'oh, I haven't thought about this theme from this perspective'," Tasker-Poland explains.
For creative director Mario Faumui, the 2021 season will be his second cabaret experience.
"It's pretty much an explosion of some of the best and my favourite Pacfika trans and queer performers of Aotearoa and it's very rare we get to do that," Faumui told Newshub.
His vision for Fever: The Return of the Ula has proven popular with fans, offering an entertaining way to reflect on modern society.
"It's very edgy, there's a little bit of everything for everyone," he said.
Faumui said this year it's about celebrating diversity and offering empowerment.
"I hope to open conversations for families and for them to see examples of trans and queers lives being loved," he said.
Eye-opening entertainment tackling some of society's most important issues.
