Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett Opening Night Sydney

It was a spectacular take-no-prisoners VIP Opening Night at RUNAWAY Gardens as the audience wined and dined in style, lapped up lascivious entertainment from Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, and were entranced by the glistening harbourside setting at The Rocks.

Aunty Yvonne the beloved Gweagle Bidjigal Elder, self-proclaimed “fringe dweller” and lover of theatre and cabaret performed the Welcome to Country. Attendees listened to the always-enthusiastic Kerri Glasscock, CEO of Sydney Fringe Festival, plus 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues, and Councillor Imelda Davis from City of Sydney, who joined a full house of over 600 funsters packed into the plush Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent. Shimmying their way around the event were the likes of reality TV stars Jackson Lonie and Cody Bromley, Ru Paul Drag Race Down Under stars Coco Jumbo and Faux Fur, Matty and Sarah Fahd from Gogglebox Australia fame, Network 10’s Angela Bishop, beauty YouTuber Brittney Saunders, plus a host of TikTokers, LGBTQIA+ influencers, performers, Drag Queens and Sydney icons.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous feast of hot and cold canapes, including poached prawn and purple corn tostadas, eggplant sliders, a variety of handmade dumplings, and giant potato gems from street food specialists Agape Organic, plus Truffle Parmesan fries and popcorn lobster cups from Lobster & Co. A tempting range of beers were pulled by Atomic, with half a dozen wines poured by Zilzie Wines.

For the duration of the season, festivalgoers will be able to indulge in a wide selection of food and beverage offerings with delicious bites from Agape Organic and Lobster & Co., and drinks from Archie Rose with their award-winning spirits, Zilzie Wines, Atomic Beers, French Champagne from Pommery and espresso martinis by Mr. Black. RUNAWAY Gardens is open for all your gastronomic needs from 4-10pm Tuesday to Thursday, and 12 noon to 11pm (Friday and Saturday) and 10pm (Sunday). Presented with maximum allure by the award-winning and always-bejewelled Bernie Dieter, and anchored by her unconventional band of entertaining misfits, the shenanigans under the tent top produced an intimate and electrifying night of cabaret and live music, with lashings of laughter (and gin of course!) It was kinky, naughty, a little bit sinful, and the audience didn’t want it to end!

The entire crowd leapt to their stilettos to give a rousing round of applause to the performers, who had them gasping and clutching their pearls all evening. There was delicious depravity from sword swallower Lucky Hell; death-defying danger from the hair-hanging Fancy Chance; a terrifyingly talented Cirque du Soleil aerial straps performance by Reed Kelly and Jack Dawson (aka The Two Fathoms); side-splitting comedy burlesque from the ‘big titty bi-sexual’ Sugar Du Joure, and an outrageously athletic routine from the scantily clad Blue Phoenix, winner of Mr Pole Dance World 2022. This extended six-week season of eccentric and uproarious performances in Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett will run until Sunday 25 September. But the variety doesn’t stop there! Keep your calendar full with performances from the RUNAWAY Legends Club, legit legends of Australian music; the RUNAWAY Festival Club, where the best talent from the Fringe is gathered each Thursday night; the POOF DOOF DRAG BRUNCH CLUB where drag, comedy, burlesque and cabaret hijinks are relished by an audience fuelled by 1.5 hours of bottomless mimosas; non-stop gags from the talents of the RUNAWAY Comedy Allstars and two performances of Merrick Watt’s Idiot’s Guide to Wine comedy show.

Savour delicious meals and entertainment-filled nights as Sydney is once again suffused with life that’s just a little bit naughty. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, Sydney Fringe Sideshow and RUNAWAY Gardens was made possible thanks to the unique collaboration between Australian independent concert and touring company Zaccaria, Dead Man Label, Sydney Fringe, Placemaking NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. This project was proudly funded by the NSW Government through the CBDs Revitalisation Program. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett: Buy tickets: sydneyfringe.com/events/bernie-dieters-club-kabarett/ Dates: 16 August–25 September 2022 Venue: The Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, First Fleet Park, The Rocks Getting here is easy, for more info: https://www.therocks.com/getting-here Follow The Sydney Fringe: Facebook | Instagram Handles: @berniedieter, @sydneyfringe, @therocks Hashtags: #clubkabarett (official), #berniedieter, #sydneyfringe, #therocks, #spiegeltent RUNAWAY Gardens Website: runawaygardens.com Follow RUNAWAY Gardens: Facebook | Instagram Opening: 16 Aug – 25 Sept 2022

• Tuesday - Thursday: 4PM - 10PM

• Friday and Saturday: 12PM - 11PM

• Sunday: 12PM - 10PM

Visitor Information: sydneyfringe.com/about-us/visitor-safety-information/