London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern hosted the 5th-anniversary return of this musical comedy spoofing some of the campiest moments in the history of the festival. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if it is worth some congratulations and celebrations or ends up going off a cliff instead.
This is a very gay show. I just wanted to make sure you knew. Yes, it’s at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a pub fit for a queen. And yes, it deals with probably the most popular gay event of the year after Sweatbox’s foam (is that what we call it now?) party. But again, I needed to remind you that if you were looking for some Eurovision fantasy, you’d be getting one – but it will all be fairies on and offstage. I was the exception… So much bitterness has made a witch out of me.
But no matter how invested you are in the actual thing (and if that’s the case, last Saturday must have been a very sore experience for you…), the truth is that if you’re looking for a casual night out, with no other intent than having a bit of fun, this is a worthy candidate to, at the very least, make it to the semifinals. Eurovision, Your Decision may not be the perfect show, but despite its flaws, you’ll be left with a far better impression; one that definitely won’t make you think: “what the hell just happened?”. I guess somebody took the concept of “singing to bring down the chandelier” far too literally…
You don’t need to be a massive Eurovision fan to enjoy the performance – though, in fairness, it will help. With a repertoire spanning over several decades of the most iconic winning renditions (the reasons for their memorability, different in nature…), the piece regales viewers with a live-sung parody, featuring a few amusing gimmicks, tongue-in-cheek commentary, and an endless load of audience interaction moments delivered in the most refined broken English.
Overall, entertaining and put together with noticeable dedication, the show works finely as a concept. However, its lack of completion prevents it from achieving its full potential. It is a droll experience, but it could be far sillier and crazier than it lets itself be. All its ideas are the right ones, but they are not always conveyed the right way – simply because they are not sufficiently exploited.
Relying primarily on physical comedy, the piece only gives us a glimpse of each act’s humourous possibilities. They are indeed chucklesome. And there’s no question that you will share a few solid laughs. But at the same time, many opportunities for some hysterical moments remain unexplored – and it’s difficult not to ignore them. The same goes for its script – which, though generally engaging, could still benefit from some additional wit while avoiding the unnecessary joke repetitions.
Yet, there’s a lot to praise to be given in this performance, and that concerns its extraordinary cast. With only four actors playing all the roles, their exceptional singing results in one of the most refreshing traits not just in this production, but admittedly all across fringe theatre. Boasting robust vocals and delivering their parts with adequate timing and presence, their highly captivating interpretation secures the show’s value, while also providing it with some endurance, to some extent.
If you asked me “what’s another year of Eurovision”, I’d say that your devotion to it has come across as wasted love in this latest edition. But as for Eurovision, Your Decision, you could still save maybe not all, but a few of your kisses. Though not exactly my number one, the production is nonetheless a joyous celebration of camp no gay man, straight-curious or undecided should give a miss to if it’s divas, wild dances, and all kinds of everything that they’re seeking. It may not rise like a phoenix, but it flies on the wings of love.
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All pictures credit to Dave Bird.