Rating: 5 out of 5.
Stepping through the doors into the Aurora Spiegeltent, instantly transports you to another dimension, fully immersing you in the world of Berny Dieter. The room has a strong, gritty, 1980s Berlin underground punk nightclub vibe, coming alive even more as it filled with punters.

As we shuffled to our seats and settled in for the show, there was another hum around the venue. A three-piece band stepped out onto the stage, plugged in and started doing a little soundcheck, noodling with their instruments. Other cast members buzzed around doing other tasks to prepare for the show, interacting with the audience, joking, flirting, and having a great time.

Drag Queen Iva Rosebud wheeled out a flight case down the catwalk to the stage at the end, opened it up and started to hand out flags, each with different words printed on them. Things like ‘punk’, ‘sexy’, ‘filthy’, ‘freak’ etc. I was lucky enough to get one with ‘slut’ emblazoned across it, delivered with a cheeky wink from Iva Rosebud.

Once the flags were appropriately distributed, Iva returned to the stage for some more clown like antics. Iva removed a long balloon from their underwear and proceeded to stuff it up their nose and out their mouth, pulling it back and forth while passing through their sinus, making those paying attention wince and squirm. All this fun and the show hadn’t even officially started yet!

Iva packed up the flight case and rolled it back down the stage, then the lights dimmed. The band launch into the opening song, a rendition of ‘Take Your Skin Off and Dance’, a perfect opener for the show, setting the tone. Namesake of the show, Bernie Dieter took to the stage sporting a shiny, sparkling, sequined jumpsuit. She looked stunning and oozed style and glam!

Bernie‘s energy is infectious and she soon had the whole room whipped into a frenzy, like putty in her hands. She took aim at the crowd, targeting some big burly men with beards, jumping up on their chair and urging them to stroke her leg. Then she called over another man, and the Adelaide crowd roared with laughter.

Then she locked eyes with me. I acted stupid, looking around for someone else, playing into the fun, but she kept beckoning me over. I pointed to myself and the crowd cheering and laughed. I jumped up and joined in on the show, which eventually led to the three big, bearded men carrying Bernie across the room, up the stairs and back onto the stage, finishing off the song as her backup dancers. The audience loved it and I must admit, it was fun to get involved. I got swept up in the moment!

The diversity of talent Bernie has assembled for this Club Kabarett show is staggering. The variety of acts are nothing but world class, and we’re lucky to see them in little old Adelaide! Jacqueline Furey blew my mind with her two performances and left the rest of the audience breathless too. This fire breathing red head wielded fire like a goddess of the flame, twirling battens and at one point, shooting massive flames above the crowd. I couldn’t believe it!

Another standout of the evening was trapeze performer Jarred Dewey. His aerial performance is a display of breathtaking strength and grace. Suspended above the crowd, Dewey moved with a muscly, hypnotic elegance that felt like a beautiful fever dream. He managed to blend a queer, punk aesthetic with elite level athleticism, which conveyed such emotion from his movements and poses. Even in a show of this gritty nature, some beauty shone through.

In all honesty, this is one of the most perfectly produced shows I have seen in a long time. It was practically flawless! The costumes themselves are a highlight, with a high fashion vibe crossed with punk aesthetics. They are high quality, polished pieces, and unapologetically sexy and bold, especially for Bernie who makes some real statements with her outfits.

The heart behind this whole show is the live band, which I think really elevates it into another realm. Rather than fading into the background, the musicians are the pulse of the show. Their sound is tight, gritty and loud, providing a soundscape that perfectly captures that 1980s Berlin subculture. Whether they are backing Bernie’s powerhouse vocals or underscore a tense circus feat, the music is the glue that holds this beautiful chaos together.

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is more than just a variety show; it’s a high-octane invitation to leave your inhibitions at the door. Bernie herself is a force of nature, a mistress of mayhem who commands the room with a wink and cheeky smile. With a cast of world class talent in the mix, Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is filthy, fierce and the absolute pinnacle of what the Adelaide Fringe should be.

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett Adelaide Fringe season is currently on at The Aurora Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights and runs until March 22nd.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bernie-dieter-s-club-kabarett-af2026
https://berniedieter.com/club-kabarett
https://www.instagram.com/berniedieter