As soon as you step into this circus tent, you know it’s not like the outside world. No: here, everything is bigger, brighter, sexier, and more gay, dripping lasciviously in Weimar decadence. As Bernie Dieter, our madame for the night, lubricates us for 70 minutes of unrestrained hedonism, she demands that we embrace our deepest, darkest desires – to wave the flag for freaks, sickos, sluts, and everything in between. But this is hedonism rooted in the need for connection in a time of alienation. It’s a call back into our bodies so we can hold each other, too.
What follows is nothing short of spectacular. A jaw-dropping line-up of circus, aerial, contortion, fire-breathing and sword-swallowing ups the ante with every single act – and these performers do things with their bodies (and truly, every part of their bodies) that surpass one’s wildest and wettest dreams. The spectacle is magnificent on its own, but it’s heightened by how exhilarating it is to watch queer bodies achieve what looks impossible: to see these incredible performers go to the very extreme of what a body can do is unexpectedly emotional. A salon of misfits storyline is nothing new, but as a moustachioed aerial performer swings from a bar clasped between his wrist and a bedazzled six-inch stiletto to a beautifully mournful song about masculinity, it feels so profound, so strong, so death-defying to be queer. From top(s) to bottom(s), Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is unmissable. This show will definitely turn your children gay.
Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, Underbelly Circus Hub, until 23 Aug (not 11, 18), 7.20pm