There’s a palpable air of anticipation and excitement at the newly re-opened Boulevard. Club Kabarett has performed around the world gathering 5-star reviews like dust and building an enviable reputation for its eponymous host, Bernie Dieter.
Her Haus Band, comprising guitar (Frankie South), Bass (Mark Elton) and Drums (Laura Williams), infuse the room with a sultry hybrid of punk and funk that reaches a rhythmic fever pitch, suddenly stops, and restarts with our hostess languidly taking to the stage.
It’s a camp, over-the-top, theatrical entrance that stops you in your tracks and perfectly sets the tone for the night. “Tonight is about getting loose, letting go, and getting a little bit intimate” she declares with her Dietrich-styled German inflexion before bursting into a self-penned song about free and random sex with men, women and everything in between.
Our hostess has arrived, in great style, and the tone for the evening has been firmly set. This is a sexy, sultry, edgy, funny, and exciting evening of entertainment. Her troupe of performers, who appear to do everything in height-defying heels, seductively mingle around the room before taking their turn in the spotlight.
Dieter is emcee and chanteuse, and her collection of “punks, freaks and weirdos” provides a range of gravity-defying and breathtaking acrobatic performances. There’s male pole dancing (Blue Phoenix), various aerialist and trapeze performances (Adam Malone, The Seifert Sisters, and Joe Keeley), fire eating and, quite amazingly, hair hanging (Bella Diosa).
Performances like these, whilst impressive, are relatively unexceptional. However, the overtly flirtatious and sexual packaging elevates these to mesmeric proportions. But at the heart of this is Bernie Dieter. She controls the room and sets the tone. Her playful interplay with the audience provides joyous comic interludes and her songs add an unexpected emotional element to the physical performances.
Club Kabarett has drawn its inspiration from the famed Berlin cabaret scene, but it feels perfectly at home here, in the back street of London’s Soho. Home to many a misfit and sexual adventurer, Club Kabarett is a stylish celebration of them. Dieter’s music and storytelling send a joyous two-fingers to conformity and is a rallying call about revelling in being yourself.
Cabaret is making a welcome return to the London scene, with dedicated venues and pop-up shows throughout the city. Club Kabarett joins a competitive market but creates its own unique place and shines brilliantly. If you were to only see one cabaret show this year, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything as excitingly enjoyable as this.
Runs until 6 January 2024
