Hinckley Concordia Theatre – until 31st May 2025
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
4****
Song Contest: The Almost Eurovision Experience performed at the gorgeous Hinckley Concordia is an absolute sensation. Hilariously scripted by Glynn Nicholas and Bev Killick alongside David Spicer Productions, this show is an interactive theatrical experience like no other. Deftly produced and directed by John Hill, its full of glitz glamour and glorious amounts of guffaws.
Upon taking a seat, you get a flag denoting a given country, a voting sheet and a clapper to ensure lots of cheering. Bring a pen so you can vote and take notes about your favourite acts, you will definitely have more than one. There could be a different winner each night so come on more than one evening to experience a different outcome.
The songs are composed by a multitude of multitalented writers and are on par with what you would expect to experience at the real Eurovision. With a variety of power ballads, disco, folk, rock, fusion and confusion, they each have a quirky and humorous slant. Opening with the rousing ‘Beauty, Understanding, Music and Song’ (BUMS) we know we are in for a treat.
Our hosts, Laura Norton as Katarina Vogbogalov, Craig Martin as Iva Vopper and Sian Franklin as Bettina Bitjakokov are fabulous and funny. All the acts have brilliant names and cracking innuendos. Every performer works their socks off to pull off a slick and stella show. Choreography by Chris Moore and Kellie Vallance is arresting and lighting by Pete Watts enhances every performance.
The format of the show follows ten countries competing in act 1. At the end of the act, we vote. The votes are counted in the interval. During Act 2 we have a showstopping performance by hosting country Belarus. We then have each country deliver their points via streaming on screen, and we cut to scenes from the green room. The winners are announced, and they perform again. Chock full of comical capers, it would have been lovely to have ended the night with a sing/dance along. Having each countries song words on the screen would have been handy too as some of the mics were a little quiet at times and the very funny jokes were occasionally missed, but other than that, this show is marvellous and a top party night out.