Meet the 'invisible' backstage group who make the music contest tick

[ad_1] Mark Savage Music Correspondent

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0b95/live/3b886ab0-30c2-11f0-9228-d36f84fd1370.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images Icelandic boyband VÆB " class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Getty Photos Icelandic boyband VÆB have been the primary act to carry out on the Eurovision stage this 12 months

Thirty-five seconds. That is on a regular basis you get to vary the set at Eurovision.

Thirty-five seconds to get one set of performers off the stage and put the subsequent ones in the proper place.

Thirty-five seconds to verify everybody has the proper microphones and earpieces.

Thirty-five seconds to verify the props are in place and tightly secured.

When you're at residence watching the introductory movies referred to as postcards, dozens of individuals swarm the stage, setting the scene for no matter comes subsequent.

"We name it the Method 1 tyre change," says Richard van Rouwendaal, the affable Dutch stage supervisor who makes all of it work.

"Every particular person within the crew can solely do one factor. You run on stage with one mild bulb or one prop. You all the time stroll on the identical line. Should you go off beam, you'll hit any individual.

"It's kind of like ice skating."

Watch a 30-second set change on the 2023 Eurovision Track Contest in Liverpool

The stage crew begin rehearsing their "F1 tyre change" weeks earlier than the contestants even arrive.

Each nation sends detailed plans of their staging, and Eurovision hires stand-ins to play the acts (in Liverpool 2023, it was pupils from the native performing arts college), whereas stagehands begin shaving treasured seconds off the changeovers.

"We have now about two weeks," says Van Rouwendaal, who's usually primarily based in Utrecht however is in Basel for this 12 months's contest.

"My firm is round 13 Dutchies and 30 native guys and ladies, who rock it in Switzerland.

"In these two weeks, I've to determine who's proper for every job. Somebody's good at working, somebody's good at lifting, somebody's good at organising the backstage space. It's a bit like being good at Tetris as a result of it's important to line all the things up in a small house, within the excellent approach."

As quickly as a music finishes, the group are able to roll.

In addition to the stagehands, there are folks answerable for positioning lights and setting pyrotechnics; and 10 cleaners who sweep the stage with mops and vacuum cleaners between each efficiency.

"My cleaners are simply as vital because the stage crew. You want a clear stage for the dancers - but in addition, if there's an overhead shot of any individual mendacity down, you do not wish to see shoeprints on the ground."

The eye to element is scientific. Backstage, each performer has their very own microphone stand, set to the right peak and angle, to verify each efficiency is digital camera excellent.

"Generally the delegation will say the artist desires to put on a unique shoe for the grand ultimate," says Van Rouwendaal. "But when that occurs, the mic stand is on the improper peak, so we have an issue!"

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/73cd/live/e08acea0-30c1-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="SRG / SSR The Eurovision stage is contstructed in Basel, Switzerland" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> SRG / SSR Building of this 12 months's stage started in early April, three weeks earlier than rehearsals kicked off

Spontaneously altering footwear is not the worst drawback he is confronted, although. On the 2022 contest in Turin, the stage was 10m (33ft) increased than the backstage space.

Because of this, they have been pushing heavy stage props – together with a mechanical bull – up a steep ramp between each act.

"We have been exhausted each evening," he remembers. "This 12 months is best. We have even received an additional backstage tent the place we put together the props."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d00d/live/1cc2f4a0-30c3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Spanish singer Melody performs on top of a giant staircase at Eurovision 2025. Stage manager Richard van Rouwendaal is pictured in an inlay at the top right hand side of the image." class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Getty Photos Spain's large staircase is one in all a number of props that Richard (pictured, inlay) and his group should construct in the midst of a efficiency at this 12 months's present

Props are an enormous a part of Eurovision. The custom began on the second ever contest in 1957, when Germany's Margot Hielscher sang a part of her music Telefon, Telefon into (you guessed it) a phone.

Over the intervening a long time, the staging has grow to be ever extra elaborate. In 2014, Ukraine's Mariya Yaremchuk trapped one in all her dancers in a large hamster wheel, whereas Romania introduced a literal cannon to their efficiency in 2017.

This 12 months, we have disco balls, house hoppers, a magical meals blender, a Swedish sauna and, for the UK, a fallen chandelier.

"It is a massive logistics effort, really, to get all of the props organised," says Damaris Reist, deputy head of manufacturing for this 12 months's contest.

"It is all organised in a sort of a circle. The [props] come onto the stage from the left, after which get taken off to the proper.

"Backstage, the props which have been used are pushed again to the again of the queue, and so forth. It is all within the planning."

'Smuggling routes'

In the course of the present, there are a number of secret passageways and "smuggling routes" to get props out and in of imaginative and prescient, particularly when a efficiency requires new parts half-way by means of.

Solid your thoughts again, if you'll, to Sam Ryder's efficiency for the UK on the 2022 contest in Italy.

There he was, alone on the stage, belting out falsetto notes in his spangly jumpsuit, when out of the blue, an electrical guitar appeared out of skinny air and landed in his arms.

And guess who put it there? Richard van Rouwendaal.

"I am a magician," he laughs. "No, no, no… That was a collaboration between the digital camera director, the British delegation and the stage crew."

In different phrases, Richard ducked onto the stage, guitar in hand, whereas the director reduce to a large shot, concealing his presence from viewers at residence.

"It is choreographed to the closest millimetre," he says. "We're not invisible, however we've got to be invisible."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f26c/live/f0e6ff90-30c0-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Sam Ryder plays guitar at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Reuters Sam Ryder's efficiency in 2022 included a stylised house rocket and a magically-appearing guitar

What if all of it goes improper?

There are specific methods the viewers won't ever discover, Van Rouwendaal reveals.

If he proclaims "stage not clear" into his headset, the director should purchase time by exhibiting an prolonged shot of the viewers.

Within the occasion of a much bigger incident – "a digital camera can break, a prop can fall" – they reduce to a presenter within the inexperienced room, who can fill for a few minutes.

Up within the management room, a tape of the costume rehearsal performs in sync with the stay present, permitting administrators to modify to pre-recorded footage within the occasion of one thing like a stage invasion or a malfunctioning microphone.

A visible glitch is not sufficient to set off the back-up tape, nonetheless - as Switzerland's Zoë Më found at Tuesday's first semi-final.

Her efficiency was briefly interrupted when the feed from an on-stage digital camera froze, however producers merely reduce to a large shot till it was fastened. (If it had occurred within the ultimate, she'd have been supplied the possibility to carry out once more.)

"There's really plenty of measures which can be being taken to be sure that each act will be proven in one of the simplest ways," says Reist.

"There are individuals who know the laws by coronary heart, who've been enjoying by means of what might occur and what we might do in varied totally different conditions.

"I will be sitting subsequent to our head of manufacturing, and if there's [a situation] the place any individual has to run, possibly that is going to be me!"

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7abc/live/6f1d42f0-30c3-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Sarah Louise Beennett British act Remember Monday perform on top of a giant fallen chandelier during their song at this year's Eurovision" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Sarah Louise Beennett British act Bear in mind Monday carry out on high of a large fallen chandelier throughout their music at this 12 months's Eurovision

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/22df/live/abd2e970-30dc-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Sarah Louise Bennett French singer Louane performs at Eurovision under a constant stream of sand" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Sarah Louise Bennett French star Louane poses a specific problem this 12 months, as her efficiency entails a number of kilograms of sand being poured onto the stage. To compensate, she performs on a big canvas that may be folded over and carried off stage.

It is no shock to be taught that staging a stay three-hour broadcast with hundreds of transferring components is extremely aggravating.

This 12 months, organisers have launched measures to guard the welfare of contestants and crew, together with closed-door rehearsals, longer breaks between exhibits, and the creation of a "disconnected zone" the place cameras are banned.

Even so, Reist says she has labored each weekend for the previous two months, whereas Van Rouwendaal and his group are recurrently pulling 20-hour days.

The shifts are so lengthy that, again in 2008, Eurovision manufacturing legend Ola Melzig constructed a bunker underneath the stage, full with a settee, a "sadly underused" PS3 and two (sure, two) espresso machines.

"I haven't got hidden luxuries like Ola. I am not at that degree but!" laughs Van Rouwendaal

"However backstage, I've received a spot with my crew. We have stroopwafels there and, final week, it was King's Day in Holland, so I baked pancakes for everybody.