"Berlin Burlesque" re-creates the 1930s Berlin cabaret scene and the life of Hitler's clairvoyant, occultist Erik Jan Hanussen, who was later murdered by the Nazis.
The show featured acrobatics, aerials, contortion work, flamenco dancing, pole work, chain work and a four-piece band, narrator David Ladderman said yesterday.
"It parallels the story of cabaret."
"The costumes are a big part of the story, too. There are heaps of costume changes," performer Sophie Ewert said.
"Backstage is chaos, as we're all trying to get changed for the next numbers."
Performer Skye Broberg holds five Guinness world records for contorting, including passing herself through an unstrung tennis racket 17 times in a minute and entering a contortion box the size of four shoeboxes in 4.68 seconds.
"For a couple of years now, I've been travelling the world to appear on television shows," she said.
"Berlin Burlesque" colleagues Jola and Nele Siezen also hold Guinness contortion records, while Pascal Ackermann set a record by extinguishing 69 fire torches in his mouth in a minute.
The Loons Circus Theatre Company was formed in 2007 from CircoArts performers at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology and the troupe is on a 21-date national tour of New Zealand.
The earthquakes spelled an end to the Christchurch circus school, he said.
Loons Circus Theatre Company co-founder Darryl Cribb said the two-hour show had a R18 rating, due to nude content and adult themes.
"People need to come with an open mind. Everything is very tasteful and hilarious. Erik Jan Hanussen's story is woven between astonishing acrobatics and wonderful live music and comedy." "Berlin Burlesque" opens at Sammy's at 8pm today and runs until Sunday.
