Ever since the irrefutably inimitable Bernie Dieter and her infamous troupe of bombastic Bohemians sashayed out of her sold-out Spiegeltent shows in March, Sydney has been begging – nay, gagging – for Club Kabarett to return and make our dark and debauched wishes come true.
Pitching a tent down at Circular Quay yet again for a limited six-week run (Aug 16-Sep 25), night after hazy night will be filled with dangerously funny kabarett, breathtaking circus, gender-bending aerial and fire-breathing sideshow – and it's all set to the soundtrack of a live Weimar-punk jazz haus band.
Recommended: Who is Bernie Dieter? Read our interview with the punk-cabaret queen seducing Sydney
The shows will once again be hosted at Runaway Gardens, a pop-up Spiegeltent village nestled between Circular Quay and the Rocks with food trucks and bars to boot. This August Runaway Gardens is back for the Sydney Fringe with a far larger program of live music, comedians and general weirdness, in addition to exciting local food and booze offerings.
Make sure you arrive early to soak up the atmosphere and fuel up for the show, before settling in for a deliciously debaucherous display of top shelf sideshow acts in a dark and dreamy setting under the big top. Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett packs a provocative mix of dangerously funny original songs and moody covers, gender-bending circus and fire-breathing sideshow. An evening spent here is the perfect antidote to your troubles.
As we said in our five-star review from Dieter's last visit: "Any burlesque producer in town would be fighting tooth and tassel to get a stab at staging a show in the Spiegeltent, and Dieter fills every crevice of the evocative space with an unmatched mischievous energy and a line-up of awe-inspiring performers that send sparks flying (literally). She has a commanding, flirty presence with a voice to match, with strong range, control and bravado. She draws you in and makes you want to surrender to whatever she wants to tell you."
Some new acts join the throng with fresh and funny, dark and debaucherous entertainment. Be seduced by the depravity of the sword swallowing sensation Lucky Hell; Fancy Chance who’ll risk her life with the incredibly dangerous art of hair hanging; Cirque du Soleil’s gender-bending duo Reed Kelly and Jack Dawson stunning audiences with their incredible aerial straps performance; the ‘Buxom Buffoon’ queen of comedy burlesque Sugar Du Joure to shock, arouse and entertain in equal measure; and Blue Phoenix, tantalisingly fresh from his win in Mr Pole Dance World 2022.
Take a step back in time to the dark allure of Weimar-era Berlin with an award-winning performer who has been described as “an electrifying cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Furter in sequins”.
FYI, anyone who buys a ticket for a Thursday night gets to stay on and see the Best of Sydney Fringe Fest Festival Club Show for free. Tickets are on sale here.
