Join renowned fashion label HAUS of YOLO for a cabaret where designer Welt Couture creates their ‘Hastings’ collection live on stage, blending circus, acrobatics, and comedy in a fast-paced, fun-filled fashion fantasy. Presented by The Dust Palace.
What do you get when you mix live sewing, gravity-defying circus acts, and a heavy dose of cheeky fun? The answer is HAUS of YOLO – a dazzlingly chaotic fashion-meets-acrobatics party from Aotearoa’s own circus-theatre masterminds, The Dust Palace.
Performing at their new home in the Ellerslie Arts Centre, HAUS of YOLO throws out the runway rulebook and invites audiences into the fictional, fabulously dysfunctional fashion house of designer Welt Couture – a character shared between all four performers. On paper, it's about a fast-paced fashion label racing to complete a new collection. In reality, it’s a fever dream of fabulous fabric, frantic sewing, and flesh.
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Let’s be clear: this is not high fashion – it’s high energy. The kind of show where a sequinned jacket becomes the holy grail of identity, where garments are stitched in real time as pop anthems blare, and where acrobatics happen not just in costumes, but often because of them.
For 75 glorious minutes, the stage becomes a multi-level playground where pasties and performance art collide. It’s part party, part cabaret, and entirely unhinged in the best possible way. Whether dangling from silks, balancing on chairs, or threading fabric under pressure, the performers show off more than just physical skill – they exhibit sharp comic timing, razor-fast reactions, and a knack for keeping a deliberately shambolic storyline buzzing with purpose.
Each act begins with a challenge: a single song’s length to create a fashion piece live on stage, while also participating in acrobatic feats and group choreography. Some outfits come out surprisingly sleek; others are trainwrecks – but that’s the point. It's a bold send-up of ‘fast fashion’ culture, where speed trumps quality and spectacle wins over substance.
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But don’t expect a lecture. This show isn’t here to moralise – it’s here to party. With music that swerves wildly from Lady Gaga to Die Antwoord, and fashion pieces ranging from asymmetrical glam to glorious mankinis, the atmosphere is electric. Each tune fuels the next round of chaos, while fabric flies, needles hum, and half-dressed performers strut like runway gods.
The energy is frenetic and chaotic, but never messy. Every sequence, no matter how wild, is polished in its performance. The technical prowess is undeniable – rope routines, aerial tricks, balancing acts, hoop work, even a bit of glass walking – all delivered with a smirk and a sparkle.
At the centre of this mayhem is the transformation sequence. Each performer slips into the character of Welt Couture by donning a distinctive green sequinned jacket – think of it as the crown in a very queer kingdom. Once worn, they switch from near-nude acrobatic eye candy to manic designer, frantically stitching up the next look.
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Watching the jacket change hands is almost a dance in itself – a well-choreographed moment of ceremony that signals the next round of creation. The show toys with the idea of identity and control, turning each performer into both puppet and puppeteer, model and maker, fashion victim and fashion overlord. And while the concept may feel light, it’s smartly used. This simple narrative device allows the cast to move in and out of roles seamlessly, keeping things dynamic and unpredictable.
If you're coming for a deep plot – don’t. HAUS of YOLO knows exactly what it is: a raunchy, rowdy ride through the absurd. It feels more like a high school theatre production after four espresso martinis than a traditional play. That’s not a dig – that’s the charm.
The show proudly flaunts its R18 rating. Expect nudity (of the tastefully hilarious kind), sexual innuendo, BDSM jokes, and props used in ways your nan wouldn’t approve of. From whip-cracks to pelvic thrusts, there’s no shortage of saucy gags. It’s joyfully risqué without ever tipping into crude – just enough to raise eyebrows and lower inhibitions.
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The costuming – such as it is – is as much part of the gag as the performance. Some pieces are genuinely clever, others gloriously hideous. But whether it’s a well-fitted corset or a lopsided tunic falling off mid-hoop spin, it all adds to the delight. Nothing is sacred, everything is fabulous.
The physical layout of the Ellerslie venue adds to the immersive fun. The runway stretches down from the stage into the audience, which means there’s no hiding from the action. Performers spin and flip just metres from the crowd, sometimes right above them. The proximity heightens the thrill – and the risk. There’s an exhilarating unpredictability. At any moment, you might be splashed with sequins, winked at mid-act, or become the focus of a cheeky joke. It’s a show that doesn’t just break the fourth wall – it rips it down and reuses it as a costume.
Despite its irreverence, HAUS of YOLO is a technically impressive work. It showcases the full range of The Dust Palace’s circus skills, from strength-based balance work to silky aerial grace. Every lift, hold and twist is delivered with precision, often while one hand holds a needle or a hem.
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HAUS of YOLO isn’t here to make a statement – though it could if it wanted to. It’s here to let loose. To remind you that art can be silly, sexy, spontaneous. That a night out at the circus can leave you hoarse from laughing and gasping in equal measure.
This show is not for everyone – and that’s exactly the point. It’s proudly queer, cheekily crass, and joyously over-the-top. It’s theatre that lets its sequins show and isn’t afraid to trip on its own train. It’s not about being perfect – it’s about being fabulous.
So grab your besties, dress a little outrageous, and prepare for a night of camp couture chaos. HAUS of YOLO is not just a show – it’s a whole vibe. Because in this house, darling, you only live once – and hopefully in a mankini.
HAUS of YOLO runs from 15 - 18 May 2025 at Ellerslie Arts
Tickets can be purchased here