Underneath it all, though, the gala is essentially a glossy teaser for the festival, which makes the fact that the two highlights of the night had nothing to do with Pride a little unfortunate.
An unbilled cameo from Tom Sainsbury's Paula Bennett showed the impression is as outrageously delightful on stage as it is behind a Snapchat filter. Her analysis of the rainbow flag (healing orange reminds Paula of her recent surgery, while green stands for both nature and benefit frauds) brought the house down, and it's a pity the festival didn't book her in for a full performance - though the teaser for Sainsbury's festival musical, Gays in Space, suggests another camp, innuendo-filled delight in the vein of last year's Camping.
As Live Drag! An Opera in the Making is being kept under wraps until its debut next week, the gala was instead treated to "Glitter and Be Gay" from New Zealand Opera's upcoming Candide. The jaunty tune was performed with hysterical campness by Natasha Wilson, a young soprano destined for star status, and was easily the night's best teaser.
As celebratory as the night was, when you've got two Labour MPs as hosts (Tamati Coffey and Louisa Wall, the former's presenting background helping their unrehearsed routine), the political is never going to be far from the event. A powerful rendition of "Over the Rainbow" by GALS (the Auckland gay choir) and performer Brady Peeti in remembrance of Aids victims was a haunting, moving moment which lingered long after the final note. It was a reminder that, with HIV diagnoses at record highs and attempts overseas to reverse LGBTQI+ progress, one night is not nearly enough to highlight how necessary the festival remains.
What: The Auckland Pride Festival Gala
Where and When: Q Theatre, Friday; the Auckland Pride Festival runs until February 18 at venues across the region
Reviewer: Ethan Sills
