Dieter is bringing her wild and raucous "carnie family" of fire breathers, sexy circus artists and gender-bending aerialists to the Wollongong Spiegeltent until Sunday - the show featuring funny original songs, sequins and satire with a cut-throat wit.

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Born in Koln, Dieter grew up listening to her grandmother's many stories of life in a travelling circus in East Germany and the time her family smuggled her into the West in a caravan hidden under piles of sequinned costumes.

But it was when she watched a glam 70's film that Dieter knew she needed to be a star.

"As soon as I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show at age of seven, I wanted to be [lead actor] Tim Curry - he was the most glorious creature I'd ever seen," she told the Mercury.

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Dieter has been described as a cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Furter in sequins, and although Australian audiences may be a little "conservative" at times she said they are quick to let go of their inhibitions.

"I think its time we all celebrate our life again, being allowed to be together with other humans in a room, that's a feeling you can't get from Netflix."

Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett, Wollongong Spiegeltent, March 16 to 20. Ticket details: www.spiegeltentwollongong.com.

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