REVIEW: Bernie Dieter's CLUB KABARETT Is Classic Weimar Inspired Circus Cabaret Escapism

Friday 7th June 2024, 7:30pm, Sydney Spiegeltent, Entertainment Quarter Moore Park

Bernie Dieter and her talented troupe of artists welcome Sydney audiences to indulge in a night at CLUB KABARETT.  Inspired by the Weimar cabaret of late 1920’s Germany, songs and circus acts come together for an adult only evening of entertainment under the beautiful Sydney Spiegeltent.

While many contemporary Cabaret artists have created a persona implying connections to the dark heady days of German cabaret, Bernie Dieter is the real thing, born in Köln and raised with her Oma’s (grandmother’s) stories of East German travelling circuses.  Songwriter and chanteuse and all-round hostess with the mostess Bernie Dieter has used this knowledge to create a contemporary expression of the ‘old world’ entertainment for a modern age.  She engages the audience with the classic excursion into the audience, but she ensures that she pushes the boundaries by ensuring the audience realize that with Dieter, no seat is “safe”.  Adorned with her signature feather capelet and a series of fabulous costumes, Her wonderful sound shifts from sultry to rock and ballads with ease as she puts her spin on contemporary songs, drops in reinterpretations of cabaret standards with a well-known Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht ballad along with her own creations.

While Dieter adds in a few comments on contemporary society, the focus for the night is escapism in the form of her assembled troupe of “punks, freaks and weirdos”, specializing in circus acts.  Bella Diosa, Joe Keeley, Solina Ersie, Blue Phoenix, Lisa Lottie, and Reuben DotDotDot showcase a variety of acts that include fire eating, aerial acts and acrobatics.  While some of the numbers are classic, infused with clowning, others push the limits of artforms to a new level as they astound the audience. The acts are often accompanied by Dieter’s vocals, all backed by the three-piece band of Joe Southall (Bass), Leon Todorovich (Guitar) and Lisa Martin (Drums). 

At a time when many bleak things are occurring in the “real world” BERNIE DIETER’S CLUB KABARETT is a wonderful escape for a few hours of awe and entertainment.  A great night out for grown ups wanting a night away from little ones, a chance to see a show in a more relaxed setting than traditional theatre, or the opportunity to share an experience with new friends as the intimate nature of cabaret venues often means you get talking to those around you, this evening of CLUB KABARETT is a perfect expression of the diverse genre. 

https://sydneyspiegeltent.com/clubkabarett

Photographs: Belinda Rolland

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