La Ronde is pure circus cabaret spectacle with an intoxicating mix of sensual and very sexy aerial artists backed by the most vibrant club music.
Kicking off this year’s Auckland Arts Festival 2026, the Speigeltent is occupying a large part of Aotea Square, and La Ronde will be performing most evenings until Sunday 22 March.
Presented by the Australian based Strut and Fret Since its inception in 1997, Strut & Fret has built a reputation as one of Australia’s leading creative forces producing theatrical experiences, events, venues and full-scale festival experiences across Australia and internationally.
The company draws from international performers and there are some on the programme this year who have performed with the famous Cirque du Soleil.
The Speigeltent is an experience in itself, all glitz and glamour and sparkling effervescence as we enter the cabaret space.
A large circular stage dominates the space, with seating surrounding this stage and radiating out. We are dazzled by a huge disco ball often suspended above the central area.
Disco classic Staying Alive is playing as we get the first tantalising taste of the performers warming up for the ensuing spectacle.
Zoe Marshall is on, and amazingly she is suspended by her hair as she swings around the central stage and gets to dizzying heights as the music of James Brown’s It’s A Man’s World is blasting out.
Nate Cooper acts as the comedy interlude to the aerial and gymnast performers. First appearance as a nervous juggler who appears completely rattled as he nervously circles on roller skates. Then swaps into outrageously high stiletto heels and finally juggles three huge machete knives to the gasps of the astonished crowd.
Later he appears to co-opt an audience member and rides him around the stage to the music of AC-DC’s Thunderstruck. Hilarious!
Felipe is a highlight with his stunning gymnastic routines, especially balancing on a stack of single legged stools. Quite camp in his presentation as he flies and spins around the room on the high ropes.
Adam Malone can twirl and spin up to six hoops simultaneously to the sounds of Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild. Reaches a peak when he dons those outrageous heels, and manages a perfect head stand on a thin narrow bar.
Beautiful dancers abound with a ginger-haired female singer from Dominican Republic excelling on soulful retro Seventies styled R’n’B torch songs.
A perfectly paced show and La Ronde never lets up on the excitement and thrills. It is sexy, tastefully risqué and thoroughly enjoyable.
La Ronde is playing at the Speigeltent until 22 March 2026. Tickets from Auckland Arts Festival.
Rev. Orange Peel
Photography by Leonie Moreland
