IT'S HARD to identify exactly when I was first introduced to the magic of Marlene Dietrich.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, along with Greta Garbo and Bette Davis, she was one of my father's favourite actresses. Her subtlety appealed to him. When I made the grand decision to tread the boards, his only advice was not to ignore the importance of understatement, of which Ms Dietrich was queen.

Like myself, she was of Prussian descent. Born Maria Magdalena Dietrich, in 1901, she soon shortened her name to Marlene. (I was born Karen Von Wintergarten, but changed my name to Egan, because I felt it had a bit more pzazz. ) Having endured a strict upbringing, Dietrich embarked on her true vocation of acting and singing in a rather liberal Berlin. From the outset, a combination of discipline and ambition led to a busy career in cabarets, plays, revues and German silent films.

On a recent visit to Berlin, doing some research for my cabaret, it was difficult to escape the fact that she had lived through two world wars. It must have given her an 'edge', a sharpness. She certainly marked herself out as an individual who took risks.

I admire her for pushing the boundaries of gender dress codes. She was one of the first women to wear suits, cleverly challenging contemporary constructions of gender. That iconic image of Dietrich in top hat and tails drove men and women wild. Despite or because of this look, she managed to create an overwhelming impression of femininity. With her star in the ascent, the power of cinema made it possible for that compelling image to be broadcast around the world.

Her 'open' marriage to Rudolph Sieber in 1923 paved the way for her endless stream of male and female lovers. Yet rather than alienating her from society, her bisexuality served to increase her allure. (I should know. I myself am bisexual. I've had sex twice. ) Creating a sensation in The Blue Angel as the naughty Lola, the English-speaking German siren was soon lured to America where she continued to star in countless films. Under Dietrich's spell, the studios encouraged the endless close-ups, the provocative lighting, the genderless sex, augmenting her enigma until the artificial became the authentic.

It was her addiction to fantasy that has always amused me. She would invent stories for the press, editing accounts of events to suit her mood. Now that's what I call a diva. I share a star sign with this great dame. She was a Capricorn who constantly lied about her age. (Having just turned 31, I can understand that. ) However, for me the real connection with Dietrich is through her songs. 'Ich bin die fesche Lola' and 'The Boys in the Backroom' show a mischievous, playful Marlene, echoed also in 'Wenn die beste Freundin', a cheeky little duet which she sang with Margo Lion that made fun of the exaggerated friendships women have for each other. Their performance left no doubt as to its sexual overtones, yet no greater contrast can be found than with her wistful version of 'Give Me The Man'.

Neither did she steer away from the Ipolitical, taking a stance against Nazism by choosing to entertain the American troops with 'Lili Marlene'. Such a courageous decision is all the more poignant if you listen to her singing 'Ich Hab Noch Einen Koffer in Berlin' (I Still Have A Suitcase in Berlin).

My paternal grandfather saw her perform live in the Cafe de Paris in London, and was mesmerized. Her popularity seems to traverse generations.

As my father pointed out, Dietrich understood that there was a world of difference between 'singing' a song and actually putting its meaning across. A mistress of interpretation, she embodied a song, she became the song.

Above all, she will be most familiar to us for her rendition of 'Falling In Love Again', seducing the world with those rich, dulcet tones. In Hollaender's original German version, she sings "Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt /Das ist meine Welt, und sonst gar nichts, " the literal translation of which runs: "I am, from head to toe, made for love/That is my world, and nothing else." She was a hopeless romantic, something which we definitely have in common.