Glamorous gender-bending cabaret has arrived in Hamilton with the arrival of Glamz! Cabaret Restaurant and Bar. Opening shows ran last weekend, with capacity crowds enjoying dinner and continual shows. Owners Leone Dwyer, Shonn Flutey and Heather Carnegie say they hope the venue will have wide appeal, not just in the LGBT community, but for Hamilton's straights as well. “We want to provide a safe, hassle-free environment for everyone, and welcome all,” says Dwyer. “Our premises are very glamorous, large, clean, and appealing. We hope to capture a large market within Hamilton as people realise what we have to offer.” Located on central-city Garden Place, Glamz! boasts room for 92 diners, and can accommodate 200 patrons afterwards in the bar. It also has resident drag queens and performers, plus a resident drag king, Glamboyant. All performed at last weekend's three-night long grand opening. “The shows were particularly well received by the largely heterosexual audience and everyone had a really great time,” Dwyer says. The opening act featured resident Vonda Dee and the main show included a non-stop barrage of cabaret tunes, performed by Penny Tration, Glamboyant, Cilla Cone, Coco Chanel, Princess Beverly, Glitterous, Sister Sledge and more Vonda Dee. The final act, accompanying desert, featured singer David Mariss. Glamz!' grand opening continues this coming weekend, with a special guest show by current Miss Drag Wellington, Arabia. Dwyer says there are already big plans for the future. They have opened the Pink Café at the front of their premises, which is open six days for breakfast, brunch and lunch, from 9am till 5pm. She adds that they hope to establish a strong presence in Hamilton, “including being successful with our dinner and show and making the café popular in Garden Place.” Plans are afoot for a regular ‘Gay Games' each Wednesday, where punters will compete for “spectacular prizes”. Dwyer says they're looking to expand this concept and are considering making it into a show for television. Glamz! is targeting heterosexual Hamiltonians for their dinner and show, which will run each Thursday through Saturday nights. But the bar space afterwards “is appealing to all – gay/lesbian/transgender as well as hets,” according to Dwyer. The basic philosophy is that all are welcome, and Dwyer believes they have the formula to satisfy a discerning crowd, mostly over the age of 25. But it's all about the entertainment and showcasing the cabaret talent Hamilton has to offer: “Our main goal is for everyone to see how fabulous and talented the queens and kings of Hamilton are, and we believe the public are ready and willing to be entertained in this way.” David Parrish - 31st May 2006