REVIEW: Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett
- Natasha Dyson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
This Autumn, North Melbourne’s Meat Market is serving up raw, raucous escapism in the form of Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett.
Scored by a resounding live punk concert, Club Kabarett offers an unreserved journey into the depths of human expression. Bernie Dieter and her cast of world-class performers showcase their unique talents; an eclectic mix of circus, dance and performance art.
Before the show had even begun, our Saturday night audience was propelled into the world of Weimar-style cabaret by roving performers, roaring music, red lights and of course, alcohol. This sudden overstimulation set the tone for a show designed to thrill, confront and compel presence in the space. You’re given permission to look, and you cannot look away.
Bernie Dieter, our headliner and emcee, cultivates an environment free from inhibition through her masterful crowd work and signature wit. Her vocals soar through beautifully crafted soundscapes accompanying the other acts, as well as her statement-heavy second act, grounded in personal experience. Joining her in storytelling are artists Iva Rosebud and Jarred Dewey, presenting powerful commentaries on gender expression through drag performance art/vocals and aerial trapeze respectively.
Further extraordinary feats of human ability came in the form of Melissa Lee’s riveting hair suspension/pole routines, and Caleb Cameron’s outrageous tap dancing. But my two highlights of the evening were Jacqueline Furey’s fire/sword swallowing artistry, and Soliana Ersie’s unbelievable contortionism. I will be talking about them forever.
The success of this spectacle also owes a great deal to its technical and musical elements. The band were unreal and unselfish, all deserving of their own moment in the sun (I wish I could find their names credited somewhere) and the lighting design was flawless. Meat Market makes a fantastic venue for this show, combining historical charm with rock gig scaffolding, easy bar access and vaulted ceilings for aerial shenanigans.
Club Kabarett feels authentic in the way it doesn’t reveal all of its secrets, leaving curiosity as the lingering emotional response to this provocative production. You’re given no insight into what will come next, who these performers are or how they came to be here. These flashes (no pun intended) of extreme vulnerability, skill and risk are presented like temptations, then you’re ushered out into the night with the surreal impression of having witnessed something superhuman. It’s bizarre. It’s awesome.
If you’re looking to be entirely captivated, and more than a little scandalized, do not miss Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett while Melbourne is lucky enough to play host. This internationally acclaimed carnival of chaos is both powerful and freeing. May some of that freedom rub off on us all.
