A tribute to the tumultuous life and sublime songs of Hildegard Knef, Shelley Dunstone is set to tell a fascinating story of a woman mired in scandal, yet adored and reviled in equal measure.

Playing at Prompt Creative Centre on 2 and 3 June, the cabaret will celebrate one of Germany’s most celebrated stage, screen and music artists, who was powered by her unwavering belief that she should be showered with red roses.

Tracing her life story from wartime Berlin to Hollywood, then to the concert halls of Europe, lawyer turned cabaret artist Shelley Dunstone is joined by accompanist and avid rock climber Edward Heddle to tell this incredible tale.

“Hildegard had a tumultuous love life,” Shelley says. “As a young woman she had a Nazi lover, later she married a Jew and then had two subsequent marriages. She was incredibly resilient. She fought with the German army and was captured by the Russians, recovered from dysentery and malnutrition and pioneered on-screen nudity, resulting in scandal.”

Despite the drama, Hildegard Knef was a renowned and adored artist who received accolades and adoration – even red roses rained upon her.

“She was one of Germany’s most celebrated actresses who built a career from the ruins of war-torn Berlin. She was awarded the prestigious Federal Film Prize for her lifetime’s achievement,” Shelley says. “After being ‘cancelled’ due to a scandal, she achieved even greater success with a singing career. Her height of popularity was in the 1960s. In her lifetime she recorded 50 albums, gave 100 major concerts and wrote lyrics for 130 songs.”

You can book tickets to Raining Red Roses HERE