::: Theatrepeople / Features :::

"Douze points" for WMTC's Eurobeat - Almost Eurovision
6th May, 2009
By Paul Henry Basilio

May: the month where, for many theatre people, is a truly busy show month. However, another – more famous and truly spectacular – international event occurs annually every May: the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been held annually since 1956 and is one of the longest-running and beloved television programs in the world. Attracting a global audience between 100 and 600 million people, the Contest is synonymous for bringing music legends such as Sir Cliff Richard, Lulu, Olivia Newton-John, Celine Dion, Johnny Logan, and of course ABBA, onto the international music scene; and notorious for the glitz, the colour, Terry Wogan’s sardonically hysterical commentary, political bloc voting, and the extreme camp-tastic ridiculousness of the songs, contestants, and the overall Contest itself. The Contest has become an important cult-event for many across the world, often holding Eurovision-related events or inciting the many Eurovision bloggers to furiously analyse and scrutinise every detail.

Williamstown Musical Theatre Company Inc. brings all this together in its new production of Eurobeat – Almost Eurovision; the production, written by locals Craig Christie and Andrew Patterson, developing its own cult-status after its debut in a Melbourne festival in 2003 and taking the Australian and European musical theatre scene by storm in following years. The production pays homage and parodies the already bigger-than-life Contest from a truly Australian perspective, illustrating Australia’s unusual love for the Contest. It begs the question: why do Australians love the Eurovision Song Contest?

“We don't really have anything like it here in Australia”, cast member Lauren Doutch says. “I mean sure, we have Australian Idol, Australia's Got Talent etcetera, but you can tell who is going to win that from the first round. With so many countries involved in Eurovision, and all the politics that go along with the voting, it makes it much more exciting”.

However, cast member Bridget Shaw says the cult-status comes from the novelty of the Contest. “Because Australia is not a part of it, it remains exotic to us”, she says. “In short, it's always guaranteed to be a great night with your friends where you will laugh your head off at the cheesiness and funny characters that unfold. Exactly the same as our show! It's a time to forget everything serious in your life and focus solely on having fun”.

Indeed, Eurobeat – Almost Eurovision is a truly unique and interactive musical theatre experience that is pure unadulterated fun. Mirroring the Eurovision experience, Eurobeat audience members are allocated a country to support and consequently become the voting members from when voting commences, keeping in mind they can’t vote for their own country. Like the actual Contest itself, the vote is counted and live crosses from various points in Europe are made – in very patchy and heavily accented English and French – to reveal which country gave the maximum ‘douze points’ and the winning song is performed at the very end. However, what else can we expect from this production?

“Try and imagine a Contiki tour of Europe during the 80's and you're halfway there,” cast member Patt Ryan says. “People will walk in not knowing the songs, but will walk out singing them as if they have grown up listening to them for their whole life. It's as catchy as a Mexican with swine flu.”

However, Bosnian co-host Boyka quickly remarks about how the audience will come to see her. “What else would you be wanting? My cohost is quite attractive too – although I don’t think he is there in the head region,” Boyka quips. “But expect Class, Class, Class… with a little bit of spandex, gold lamé, and glitter”.

As with this year’s Eurovision, there are clear fan favourites in WMTC’s Eurobeat. So who are they this year?

Cast member Minna Ikonen says Hungary, Greece, France, and Italy are her favourites: “All their numbers have required the performers to learn bits of their language in order to perform – a truly impressive feat”. While cast member Patt Ryan says Russia are the runaway favourites since they “know how to work the stage, and will have the audience, especially of the female persuasion, wanting more; it will be like being at a Tom Jones concert, with underwear being thrown onto the stage”, with Liechtenstein being a dark horse for the title. Cast member Lisa Pilkington sums up her favourite: “It’s hard to pick out a favourite number when the tears of laughter roll down your face… I must say – pay special attention to the lyrics”.

So who will win? Will there be political Soviet/Balkan/Baltic bloc voting? How many costumes and ‘reveals’ will there be? What double entendre will the hosts and the live crosses reveal? All this will be answered in WMTC’s Eurobeat – Almost Eurovision; it’s like going to the Eurovision Song Contest itself, without nearly as much expense or tackling a foreign language. Don’t miss your chance to miss a truly unique and interactive musical theatre experience: