The hottest cabaret club East of Berlin has arrived in Adelaide, instantly cementing themselves in my eyes as the 5-star, unmissable show this Fringe season! Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is a raunchy, mesmerising and welcoming escape that will have you squealing, gasping and lapping up every glorious second.  

Bernie Dieter is a world-renowned cabaret artist, songwriter and performer born in Köln, Germany, referred to as the “undisputed Queen of punk cabaret.” Deiter boasts sell-out seasons in Japan, Singapore, London and across Australia.

In the last twelve months, Club Kabarett had a critically acclaimed three-month season on London’s West End, toured to Japan, headlined Sziget Festival in Budapest and Fringe World Perth, as well as headlining Auckland Festival. Therefore, it’s an absolute treat to have a cabaret of this world-class calibre right here in Adelaide!

So Willkommen to Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, a rebellion against the mundane, a tribute to the misfits, and a place where you can be whoever you want to be.

Upon entering, you are thrust into their gritty East German world, and the Weimar-punk jazz band is already blaring amongst the smoky haze. The cast is already flittering about the audience, and the atmosphere is humming with a dangerous anticipation. 

Deiter opens the show and instantly hooks the audience with a natural charisma. She emerges singing a rock-cover of The Catnip Junkies Take Your Skin Off and Dance, an instant indicator that the night is about to get loose!

In the first five minutes, she had three grown men from the audience willingly wrapped around her. Amongst the craziness is her message that the night is about presence, connection, and leaving your inhibitions at the door!

While Club Kabarett is hosted by Dieter, she is joined by a cast of uber-talented performers from around the country and overseas. 

Caleb Cameron saunters onto the stage first. Cigarette in mouth, he executes a hella-smooth tap number. Sountracked by the live band, he plays a call and response to their guitar and drum rhythms. It was epic to see tap dancing look so grunge and seductive. 

After this, there is no slowing down. Jaqueline Furey struts out to literally set the place on fire. She leaves no patch of skin untouched by the flames, giving a masterclass performance of her tricks and crowd work, knowing how to have the audience transfixed on her.  

Appearing suddenly out of a black case, is contortionist Soliana. She has the audience gasping and hollering at her incredible acrobatics. Bending and twisting further than you think is possible. 

Just when you think things cannot get any wilder, Drag performer Iva Rosebud emerges. What you think is going to be a classic lip-synching drag performance turns into an act that has the audience screeching and hollering in delightful shock. They are incredibly cheeky and playful, stripping the audience (and themselves literally) of any lingering inhibitions. When they come back later with a decorated cake, don’t expect the stage to stay clean… 

The final performer is aerialist Jarred Dewey. What Club Kabarett masters above other cabaret shows is their ability to harness theme, message and storytelling with each performance. A truly impactful number for us all was Dewey’s trapeze routine, joined by Dieter singing Masculinity by LUCKY BOY.

Dewey gives an emotive and mesmerising performance, nailing tricks in time with the song’s accents and executing powerful storytelling through their facial expressions. Sending a clear message about identity and place in the world, Dewey showcases incredible strength and stage presence, in heels too! 

By the time intermission hits, you have forgotten where you are, suddenly swept up in the mischief and chaos. When Act II begins, the performers return again with more tap dancing, sword swallowing and aerial pole. 

Elevating Club Kabarett even further is the live band performing throughout the show. Topped with Dieter’s covers and original songs, it all asserts the amount of careful consideration made to the setlist and storytelling. 

Last night, the show earned an instant standing ovation, and THAT is something you don’t see very often. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is an intoxicating whirlwind riot that pushes the boundaries of cabaret as you know it. It truly is not to be missed!