Review: Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett at L’Euro Grande
Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett at L’Euro Grande
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Outrageous, addictive and out of this world. Words fail to adequately describe Bernie Dieter’s latest Fringe World spectacle, Club Kabarett, which made its Western Australian debut at this year’s Festival.
Audiences stepped out of the industrial chic of the L’Euro Grande in Perth and emerged in the deliciously dark and devious world of underground Berlin, with its opulence and its otherworldliness. Entering into a large hall space set with red neon, punters were greeted by a live band (comprising Mark Elton, Laura Williams, and Tom Velvick), who set the underground tone with their bluesy, punk style. Roving performers added to the dynamism of the space.
Seated around a long, tall stage that protruded into the centre of the L’Euro Grande, with several rows of chairs up close and personal and stadium-style seating around the room, each member of the audience was included in the action.
Dieter soon took to the stage to open the show. Magnetic and captivating, almost dangerously so, the charisma of her stage presence perfectly complemented her alternative, punk-meets-glamour appearance. Opening with an iconic rock number, Dieter’s effortless ability to work the crowd was immediately evident. Drawing audiences in, her quick wit and direct interactions strongly personalised the show. Proving very quickly her promise that no seat in the audience was safe, she descended the stage and incorporated an entertaining and seductive moment of audience interaction.
Dieter was flanked by a small but mighty collective of artists from around the world, whose aerial, burlesque and sideshow skills perfectly complemented the air of titillation and underground taboo that the show so specifically curated.
Bella Diosa quite literally set the stage ablaze with a fiery fire-eating and dance performance. Combining moments of dance and contortion with flaming sticks of fire, including several strapped to her ankles, the international circus artist was flawless in her delivery of each move and moment, managing to petrify and seduce simultaneously.
Adam Malone’s trapeze performance arguably demonstrated some of the best trapeze witnessed in Perth, combining head-balancing with acrobatics and good old-fashioned aerial antics. Head-balancing while swinging across the stage was the genuine embodiment of jaw-dropping and provided a refreshing new art form to offset the saturation of aerial material across the festival.
Aerial performer Joe Keeley was also a vision, performing a silks and straps routine throughout the course of the night. Keeley’s ability to flawlessly execute each move was exceptional. The impressive precision of both performances was complemented by the grace and artistry of Keeley’s movements and the sense of emotion that permeated each moment of his physical storytelling.
Chris Talbot’s pole routine was a visual delight. Combining pole dancing with impressive acrobatics and elements of contortion, the piece was consistently surprising and impressive, particularly for Talbot’s performance in outrageously tall heeled boots. Like their fellow artists, Talbot’s routine was clearly that of a person at the top of their game.
Sugar Du Joure was a welcome Perth face among the international maelstrom of artists. Beloved burlesque performer Du Joure delivered her signature style of neoclassical burlesque, combining glamour, opulent costuming and alluring dance with cheeky surprises, strong characters, and a deadly stage presence. Du Joure’s performance was a refreshing combination of burlesque styles that culminated in a fitting homage to the deviant and different elements of underground kabarett, wrapped in a glamorous coating.
Soliana’s contortion routine was a toe-curling but utterly enjoyable demonstration of the sheer flexibility and range of the athletic body. Bending, folding, and knotting, Soliana’s ability to make the gruesome performance of total bodily contortion absolutely captivating and quite beautiful is undoubtedly a hard-earned skill.
All the while, Dieter’s accompaniment of many of the acts with her own vocals was a delightful addition to the night, which grounded the host as so much more than just the presenter of the show, weaving her eclectic and alternative presence into the fabric of each performance and giving more gravity and spectacle to the night in general. Accompanied at all times by Mark Elton, Laura Williams, and Tom Velvick, the addition of live music across the night made for a dynamic and high-quality show.
Moving playfully between acts with jokes, clever songwriting and beloved covers performed with a little grunge, Dieter wove the show together, maintaining a flow in the energy of the acts and keeping the audiences engaged.
This show is indisputably THE event of the Fringe World festival. Whether it’s for the sheer precision of artists at the top of their game, the delicious allure of Berlin’s underground debauchery, or the charisma, charm and angelic voice of its esteemed host, this show is not one to be missed at this year’s festival.
Extra shows have been added due to phenomenal demand, and tickets are now available for Saturday, February 3 and Saturday, February 10 at 4.10 p.m.
BEC WELDON