A rainy spring evening in Auckland might not scream party, but inside the ASB Waterfront Theatre it's 1929 Berlin and the Kit Kat Klub is in full swing. Auckland Theatre Company has brought Cabaret back to its stage for the first time in a decade, timed neatly with the 60th anniversary of the musical's New York premiere, and the production runs until October 25.

The story is familiar to musical fans: American writer Clifford Bradshaw arrives in Weimar-era Berlin and falls into the orbit of English cabaret singer Sally Bowles, all under the watchful eye of the club's Emcee. It's set in that uneasy gap between the end of the Jazz Age and the rise of the Nazi regime, which gives the show its peculiar mix of hedonism and dread.

The standout, according to NZ Herald Travel's review, is Matu Ngaropo (Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou) as the Emcee — cheeky, physically commanding and vocally strong, with one entertainment journalist at the performance saying he topped an Emcee they'd seen on the West End. Justin Rogers, who plays Clifford, is local despite a Pennsylvania-perfect American accent, and Nomi Cohen's Sally walks the line between chaotic and magnetic. The ensemble earns its standing ovation too, backed by a live band perched on a platform at the rear of the stage.

Not everything races along. The quieter romance between Fräulein Schneider (Susan Brady) and Herr Schultz (Steven Ray) can feel slow next to the club numbers, but it carries the show's emotional weight — their storyline is where Berlin's political shift hits hardest. The production design holds up its end as well: Dan Williams' set pivots from the klub to several other locations with smart lighting by Filament Eleven 11, and the costumes and makeup lean properly decadent — corsets, hoop skirts, tassels and eyeshadow with real presence.

For travellers, this is the kind of night that justifies a stay in the city centre. The ASB Waterfront Theatre sits in the Wynyard Quarter, so a show pairs easily with dinner nearby and a harbour-side walk afterwards. If you're in Auckland before October 25 and want an evening that's equal parts raucous and sobering, this is a strong pick — book through atc.co.nz.

Review by NZ Herald Travel.