A cabaret cocktail of sass and sparkle

It’s not every night you meet Doris Day, Peggy Lee, Bette Midler, Mae West and Sophie Tucker in the same room.

But when Aurora MacKrill takes the stage, the past comes roaring back in feathers, sequins and full-bodied laughter.

Her latest cabaret, Going Blonde, is a dazzling homage to the women who shaped her imagination and fuelled her lifelong love affair with performance. Part torch song, part comedy and pure glamour, it’s a glitter-dusted celebration of sass, sincerity and the unapologetic power of showbiz femininity.

MacKrill moves through her musical icons like a chameleon. One moment she’s channeling the velvety calm of Peggy Lee, the next, the wholesome sparkle of Doris Day. Then, with a shimmy and a grin, she turns up the heat with Bette Midler’s divine mischief and Mae West’s signature wink. It’s a cabaret cocktail like no other: equal parts nostalgia, humour and heart.

“Bette struck me at a young age with her raw authenticity,” MacKrill told The AJN. “She never hid behind a beauty mask or conformed to society’s version of perfection — and audiences adore her for it. There’s such conviction in everything she does.”

Of Peggy Lee, she recalls being “instantly hooked” after hearing those “honeyed tones”

“Cool, controlled and quietly commanding, she could hypnotise a listener with the sound of her hips alone. No visuals needed — she was the atmosphere,” MacKrill described.

And as for Doris Day, childhood memories flood back.

“I remember watching Doris Day movies during the midday matinee at my grandparents’ house in Macedon. Doris always seemed so wholesome and ladylike — the epitome of grace and femininity,” she recalled.

But Going Blonde isn’t just about the music; it’s a personal story wrapped in melody and memory. MacKrill discovered her Jewish ancestry when she was an adult. It was a revelation that helped her piece together a lifetime of quirks, humour and creative drive.

“You know that moment when the penny drops?” she said. “Suddenly so many things from my childhood started to make sense — the funny little terms of endearment, the food we loved, the humour, the creative streak, the quirks… even who I was drawn to.”

MacKrill said that finding out she had Jewish ancestry gave her a sense of belonging. Finally, she felt seen and accepted, someone had handed her the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.

“Realising I’m part of a people with such backbone, commitment, and unity — people who’ve grown stronger through incredible adversity and still carry themselves with pride, character, and kinship. That’s pretty inspiring,” she said.

Her journey from Elwood Primary School kid to cabaret performer has been anything but conventional, but discovering her heritage helped her find her footing, and her voice.

“Now, seeing the incredible creativity and talent that runs through the Jewish community, I feel genuinely proud to share that heritage,” she said.

As with all her shows, audiences can expect fun, fabulous repertoire and a little sparkle left in the air when the curtain falls. “Support live entertainment — to keep it living,” she requested. “Because without you, there is no show.”

As for what she’d tell that little nine-year-old Aurora who sat, wide-eyed watching the female greats, Mackrill said she’d simply advise to fear nothing.

“Embrace your individuality and those little quirks that make you different, because that’s your signature,” she said. “Never dim it. Express yourself in every way you can — through dance, music, art, whatever feeds your spirit. Creativity is nourishment for the soul.”

Going Blonde is at Royal Brighton Yacht Club on October 25. For tickets, visit ellasmusicclub.com