Briefs is Cirque Du Soleil meets Ru Paul's Drag Race.
The internationally recognised all-male cabaret show opened at Auckland's Q Theatre on Wednesday night with a bang.
I sat down, got handed a glass of champagne, and something I didn't expect - wet weather gear. I wondered if I was about to enter a storm.
Luckily, all the colours of the performance rainbow were present, from high-flying circus acts and burlesque to death-defying aerial acrobatics and dance.
While the performers are predominantly Aussies with a New York native thrown in, there's a Kiwi too - the shamelessly sassy and incredibly charismatic ringmaster, choreographer and creative director Fez Fa'anana, originally from Auckland and of Samoan heritage.
The show opens with a refreshingly funny monologue by his alter ego, Shivannah.
She's the bow that keeps the Briefs package together. Entertainingly, she casually appears in different outfits throughout the night, Katy Perry style.
Shivannah set the tone for the evening with a beautiful tribute. Everyone's told to put both feet on the ground, a sign of respect from the cast showing their respect for the country they're performing in. It's a way to say "we're all connected, despite our difference in colour, race, or sexuality".
And so it began.
Thomas Worrell appeared on stage, cueing the hanging hoop and one of the most captivating performances I've ever witnessed - this guy is a circus superstar in the making.
His elegant movements and piercing looks during the aerial stunts and contortion hand-balancing are nothing short of exceptional.
There's something quite beautiful about being scared for a performer's life when watching a show like this. As an audience member it means you're engaged, interested, and worried for the character because a connection has been established.
Then came Louis Biggs, a new kid on the Briefs block.
One minute he's break-dancing and trapeze, the next he's making playing with a Rubik's Cube or a yo-yo look strangely sexy.
Biggs has a real knack for audience interaction, making it easy to walk away thinking you've made a new friend.
There's a total cast of six performers, all stars in their own right. From Australia's leading 'boylesque' hybrid Mark 'Captain Kidd' Winmill to the Evil Hate Monkey, a performer dubbed New York City's sexiest simian.
The list of talent performers goes on. And yes, there are bananas - plenty of bananas.
Briefs is definitely one of the best all-male circus cabaret dance burlesque and acrobatic shows I've ever seen.
(Disclaimer: It's the only all-male circus cabaret dance burlesque and acrobatic show I've seen).
And yes, I did need the wet weather gear, but I won't tell you why - you can find that out for yourself. But I will tell you one thing; there was certainly a storm, but it was beautiful.
Newshub.
