Almost Eurovision: Eurotrash ripe for the parody picking

Given the infestation unironic kitsch at recent Eurovisions, why is this parody so ridiculously enjoyable?

A scene from Song Contest: The Almost Eurovision Experience. Picture shows the "Norway" team, featuring Djon Alexander, Jess Lindon, John O'Hara & Jacob Darby. Picture: Vanessa White. Image supplied

Given the infestation of novelty acts and unironic kitsch at recent Eurovision song contests, why is this parody of a parody so ridiculously enjoyable?

For a start, Song Contest: The Almost Eurovision Experience makes fun out of Eurovision rather than fun of it. The brainchild of Glynn Nicholas, who directs, Song Contest has the same kind of sharp-clawed and morbid playfulness as Nicholas’s greatest comic creations since Pate Biscuit.

In the first half of the show, the 11 competing nations perform their song and dance routines, complete with video art.

Given the self-lampooning and racial stereotyping already rife at Eurovision, all bets are off here. The Russian contestants are peasant girls, vagabonds with long plaits. The Germans are thigh-slappers and wife-swappers and sing a jaunty song about love bites. The Greeks are represented by a bouzouki-wielding Pan. The character names are appalling. Our hostess is Bettina Bitjakokov. (Say it out loud … though maybe not at work.)

Most of the songs, happily, go far beyond the initial joke. The torch-song trance in Hungary’s entry, Save Me (sung by Elise Brennan) is reminiscent of Canadian band Delerium. Elsewhere, there’s prog rock galore and shlocky pop tunes. But the bad taste is more than offset by the sheer talent of the ensemble.

Song Contest premiered as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, but it is expected to have a touring life well beyond it. With its cast of 14, choreography by Yvette Lee and Jason Coleman, eye-popping designs by Richard Jeziorny and music by Gideon and Daniel Frankel, and others, it is certainly tooled for commercial success.

Perhaps best of all, Song Contest takes full advantage of the live experience. It’s certainly rowdy. Audience members’ allegiances are decided by a lucky dip of badges in the foyer. Clackers and flags are also available.

The audience gets to vote on what they’ve seen before interval. (Voting is interactive: there is a downloadable app, but the website voting is simpler and more user-friendly. Paper and pens are also available.) And the outcome changes from night to night.

Although the show is faithful to the Eurovision whip-around of nations voting, the second act of Song Contest is something of a comedown after the first.

It’s also hard to see how our individual votes have determined the outcome.

Song Contest: The Almost Eurovision Experience Directed by Glynn Nicholas. Alex Theatre, St Kilda, April 19. Tickets: $49-$79. Bookings: Ticketek. Duration: 2hr including interval. Until May 1.