‘Auana by Cirque du Soleil at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel

Hawaiian stories meet world-class circus here. ʻAuana brings hula, Hawaiian music, comedy, aerial work, acrobatics, and high-risk stunts together in a small theater at the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. I like its close-up setting and its clear respect for Hawaiian traditions. I also like that local artists share the stage with international performers, giving the production more of an island identity than a standard touring circus show.

The main thing to consider is your seat. The intimate theater means even seats farther back can feel close to the action, but front-row seats may give you an uneven view of the full stage. Bright lights can also be an issue from certain seats near the side, so choosing your section carefully matters.

Key points before you book

• Hawaiian stories shape the show: Expect tales connected with Maui, the legendary Surfriders, hula, music, and the early tourism era.
• The theater is intimate: Many seats offer a close view, while seats in the 200 sections may provide a better overall picture of the production.
• The action rarely lets up: Acrobatics, aerial acts, comedy, dance, and music follow one another at a brisk pace.
• Local and international talent share the bill: The show blends Cirque du Soleil technique with Hawaiian performance traditions.
• It lasts about 1 hour and 20 minutes: That makes it easy to fit into an evening in Waikiki.
• Plan for a show-only outing: Food, drinks, and hotel transportation are not included.

A new kind of Waikiki evening

Waikiki gives you plenty of sunset cruises, luau shows, and music venues. ʻAuana offers something different: a polished theater production that uses the tools of Cirque du Soleil to tell stories tied to Hawaiʻi.

The title, ʻAuana, suggests a journey or movement, and the show follows that idea through songs, legends, comedy, dance, and physical feats. The production moves from Maui pulling the islands up from the ocean floor to Surfriders moving across the waves. It also touches on the Golden Age of tourism, when visitors were drawn to Hawaiʻi for its beaches and island culture.

That mix gives the show a broader purpose than simply stringing together circus tricks. The acrobatics provide the thrills, but the Hawaiian material gives the production its reason for being. You are not just watching performers balance, fly, tumble, and swing. You are seeing those skills placed inside stories about people, nature, memory, and the way Hawaiʻi has been presented to the outside world.

I especially like that the production includes profound hula dancers, musicians, singers, comedians, and acrobats. It would be easy for a large international company to borrow Hawaiian images and add island music as decoration. ʻAuana appears designed to do more than that, bringing local talent into the production and giving Hawaiian performance traditions a real role in the show.

Inside the Waikiki Beachcomber theater

The venue is at the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, right in the Waikiki hotel district. That location makes the show simple to add to a day of shopping, beach time, or dinner in central Waikiki.

The theater itself is one of the production’s strengths. It is described as small and intimate, and that changes the feel of the performance. You are not watching from a distant arena seat. The performers can seem close, and the action feels more immediate.

That closeness helps during comedy, crowd interaction, and aerial work. It also means the room can feel busy when several things happen at once. The production has a lot going on, so I would not automatically assume that the most expensive or closest seat is the best seat.

The seating advice is unusually consistent: sections in the 200s may offer a better view than some seats in the 100s. From farther back, you can take in the full stage picture, lighting, choreography, and set design. Front and side seats can put you close to individual performers, but you may miss part of the action happening elsewhere.

One audience member seated in the second row on the left side found the lights uncomfortable and had difficulty enjoying the view from that angle. The theater was not full at the time, but moving seats was not allowed. That is a useful warning. Once you have your assigned place, you may need to stay there, so think about the view before booking rather than hoping to change seats later.

From Maui to the Surfriders

The first part of the journey reaches back to Hawaiian folklore. Maui, the mischievous figure who pulls the islands from the ocean floor, provides one of the show’s central mythic images.

This is where Cirque du Soleil’s physical style can work especially well. Hawaiian legends already contain feats of strength, movement, daring, and transformation. Acrobatics give those stories a visual language that can make old tales feel immediate without turning them into a dry history lesson.

The production then moves toward the Surfriders, legendary figures who dance upon the waves. Here, dance and circus skill meet. You can expect the movement to suggest water, surfing, balance, and the power of the sea, while the music and staging add the emotional setting.

I would pay attention to the whole stage rather than watching only the performer doing the most dangerous trick. One of the show’s reported strengths is the variety of acts happening close together. You may have acrobatics in one part of the stage, music or dance in another, and comic action pulling your attention in a third direction.

That abundance is exciting, though it can also be a little overwhelming. If you prefer a quiet, slow-moving cultural performance, ʻAuana may feel busy. If you enjoy shows that keep changing shape, the pace should work in your favor.

Hula, music, and the sound of Hawaiʻi

Hula is not used as a brief decorative interlude. It helps carry the stories and gives the production a direct connection to Hawaiian culture.

The music is another major part of the experience. Hawaiian songs and musical performance help soften the hard edge of the circus acts and keep the production tied to its setting. Several audience comments singled out the Hawaiian music and presentation, noting that the production feels like a Cirque-style show tailored to Hawaiʻi rather than a generic circus with a tropical theme.

That distinction matters. You can find acrobatics in many cities. What makes this show specific to Oʻahu is the combination of local music, hula, island stories, and the way the performers move through those ideas.

The sound system has also received strong praise, which is important in a show where music and spoken moments share space with physical action. In a small theater, good sound can make the songs feel direct and keep comedy from getting lost.

The tone is not solemn from start to finish. Comedians and playful crowd interaction add lighter moments between the larger stories and more dangerous acts. Families seem to appreciate this balance. The show can feel grand without becoming too serious, and funny without making the cultural material feel like a joke.

Acrobatics, aerial acts, and high-risk moments

If you are buying a Cirque du Soleil ticket, you want circus skill, and ʻAuana delivers plenty of it. Expect acrobatics, aerial work, stunts, and demanding physical performances.

The high-risk acts are a major reason to choose this over a standard Hawaiian stage show. Performers work with strength, timing, balance, flexibility, and trust. The short running time helps here. At about 80 minutes, the production can keep its energy high without asking you to sit through a long, padded program.

The show also avoids the feeling of one repeated trick. Its appeal comes from variety. One act may focus on aerial movement, another on group acrobatics, another on dance, and another on comedy. That change of pace keeps the show moving.

The physical skill is impressive, but I would not expect every moment to carry the same emotional weight. Some scenes exist mainly to produce surprise or laughter. Others connect more clearly with Hawaiian stories and traditions. That unevenness is normal for a variety production, and the overall rhythm benefits from the contrast.

The close seating makes the action feel personal. At the same time, a seat that is too close or too far to one side can limit your view of an entire routine. For the best balance, a centered seat with enough distance to see the whole stage may be preferable to sitting right at the front.

Choosing the right seat

Seat selection may be the most practical decision you make.

Some people naturally want the first row. With ʻAuana, that choice has tradeoffs. A front seat can bring you close to the performers and make crowd interaction more likely, but you may need to look upward or turn your head often. You can also miss action at the rear or sides of the stage.

Seats in the 200 sections have received particularly strong praise because they allow you to take in more of the production. From there, the choreography, lighting, set design, and group scenes can fit together more clearly.

There is no guarantee that every 200-level seat will suit every person, but the general lesson is sound: do not judge the best seat only by its distance from the stage. For a full-stage show, perspective matters.

Side seating deserves extra care. One person near the left side of the stage found the lights blinding. That may not happen in every performance or seat, but it shows why a side-angle ticket can carry some risk.

The theater is small enough that many seats still feel close. If you are deciding between a very close side seat and a more distant centered seat, I would favor the centered option for most people.

How much time and money should you allow?

The performance lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. That is long enough to feel like a complete evening performance, but short enough to fit before or after dinner.

No hotel pickup or drop-off is included. Since the venue is at the Waikiki Beachcomber, this is most convenient if you are already staying in Waikiki or spending the day there. You will need to arrange your own way to the hotel.

Food and beverages are not included, so budget for those separately. This can be a benefit if you prefer to choose your own restaurant rather than pay for a bundled theater meal. It also means the ticket price covers the show itself, not an all-inclusive night out.

Value depends on what you want from your evening. If you only want a quick cultural performance, this may cost more than a simple music or dance show. But you are paying for a full production with professional acrobatics, aerial acts, musicians, singers, hula dancers, comedy, sets, lighting, and a central Waikiki location.

The production is especially good value for people who might otherwise book a larger Cirque du Soleil show in another city. The intimate scale gives ʻAuana its own personality. It does not try to recreate an arena spectacle in a small room. Instead, it uses the close setting to bring the audience near the performers.

All fees and taxes are included in the ticket price at booking, which makes the final cost easier to understand. The ticket is mobile, so you can keep it on your phone rather than arrange for a paper voucher.

The strict cancellation rule deserves attention. This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. I would only book once your evening plans are firm.

Who will enjoy ʻAuana most?

Families are a natural match. The show is family-friendly, offers plenty of visual action, and includes comedy along with the more serious cultural material. Children may especially enjoy the acrobatics, aerial acts, and moments of audience interaction.

Couples may like it as a polished evening activity that does not require a full dinner package. The music, lighting, dance, and high-skill acts give the night more variety than a single-style concert.

Solo visitors can enjoy it too. The show does not depend on group participation, and a single ticket may make it easier to find a good centered seat.

I would also recommend it to people who have already seen Cirque du Soleil elsewhere. ʻAuana uses familiar Cirque ingredients, but the Hawaiian stories, hula, music, and local performers give it a different identity. One audience member who had recently seen a Cirque production in Auckland preferred this show because it felt more intimate and brought the action closer.

You may want to skip it if you dislike circus performances, loud theatrical effects, or fast changes from one act to another. It is also not the right choice if you want a long, formal explanation of Hawaiian culture. The show communicates through music, movement, legend, humor, and spectacle rather than through a lecture.

Practical details for your visit

Confirmation arrives when you book, and you receive a mobile ticket. Keep the ticket easy to access on your phone.

Most people can take part in the audience experience. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by someone aged 18 or older.

Photography and recording may be limited. One audience member noted that video recording was not allowed, with photographs available for purchase instead. I would plan to watch the performance rather than count on filming it.

The show can include audience interaction. That adds energy, but it also means you should be comfortable with the possibility of performers engaging with the crowd. One family described a grandparent being brought onstage, which became a memorable part of the evening.

Because the show is only about 80 minutes, it works well as one part of a Waikiki night. You can pair it with a meal before or after, but leave enough time for getting to the hotel and finding the theater. The ticket does not include transportation or refreshments.

Should you book ʻAuana?

I would book ʻAuana if you want a high-energy Hawaiian cultural show with real circus skill, strong music, hula, comedy, and an intimate theater setting.

Choose a centered seat, and consider the 200 sections instead of automatically paying for the closest row. The production appears to work best when you can see the full stage, not just the performer nearest you.

This is a strong choice for families, couples, solo visitors, and anyone who wants a memorable Waikiki evening beyond the usual beach routine. It is less suited to people looking for a quiet, traditional hula recital or a detailed educational program.

The combination is what makes the ticket worthwhile: Maui legends, Surfriders, Hawaiian songs, local performers, aerial acts, comedy, and heart-stopping stunts, all in one compact show. Once your schedule is certain, ʻAuana is a good bet for an entertaining and distinctly Hawaiian night.

FAQ

How long does ʻAuana by Cirque du Soleil last?

The performance lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Where is ʻAuana performed?

The show takes place at the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel in Waikiki, Honolulu.

What does the ticket include?

The ticket includes admission to ʻAuana in the category selected at booking, along with all fees and taxes.

Are transportation, food, and drinks included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and food and beverages must be purchased separately.

Can children attend the show?

Most people can participate, and the production is suitable for families. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a person aged 18 or older.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so book only when your plans are firm.