News - Greece, Russia and the single prop door | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2008 Belgrade, Serbia 

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Written by

Barry Viniker

Published

15/May at 16:53

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esctoday.com

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Kalomira Dima Bilan 2008 greece russia - © esctoday.com
© esctoday.com

No move of commercial break

Greece, Russia and the single prop door

A potential staging problem has emerged after the stage production team realised that the props for the performances of Russia and Greece were too large and complex to switch in the 30 second gap between performances. After a round of heated debate, both sides are working against the clock to make changes to their props.

A spokesperson for the Greek delegation confirmed that there would be no movement of the commercial break to faciliate the movement of the two countries props. Neither country was prepared to accept the possibility. The problem seems to be that both performances have large and heavy props, and there is only one door to the stage for prop changes, as opposed to two or more in recent years. As a result, the switch-over between the two countries is taking longer than the time allowed.

The Greek delegation have adapted the giant book that turns into a heart, adding wheels to speed the movement of it to and from the stage. They are also looking to make the prop lighter in order to make sure everything is done during the alloted time period.

So far, we are informed that the Russians have agreed to look at changes to their props, but that no changes have been offered. They rejected the request to remove the ladder prop and are said to be very unhappy at the situation, although it has been strongly denied by both countries and the EBU that they threatened at any point to withdraw from the competition.


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Number 1 fan [47145]
Tue 20 May 2008 12:48:23

Dima gogogogogogogogogogo!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!! Dimaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa BILANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!! !!!!!!!!!


igor besermenji [38582]
Sun 18 May 2008 22:46:48

These are my absolutely favourites... Kalomoira and Dima...

Rusia and Greece in top 2!!! But winner...Kalomoira!


Ionas Macedonia [48423]
Sat 17 May 2008 18:56:06

Russia caused the whole trouble.
Greece had informed EBU and Serbias national tv about their stage programme two months ago.
The break after Russia is an excuse so the people will consider Russia as the last country and the whole thing will harm the Greek song.
Nobody will stay during all comercials just to see the Greek perfomance.

It's a shame !!!!!


Whatever ... [29486]
Sat 17 May 2008 12:59:45

In my BOOK, I firmly "Believe" that ... KALOMIRA'S (L) "Secret Combination" ... will be THE performance!

Positive thinking goes a long way ... :)

Stay tuned ...


Fill Peterson [45871]
Sat 17 May 2008 08:33:02

Secret Combination is a copy of My Number One
her voice is so annoying! please move her out of the scene it's disgusting




Dennis K [19266]
Sat 17 May 2008 04:28:10

pfffff....in my opinion both songs are crap anyway and boring. to solve the problem......cos both songs are as awful as each other, take away all the props from both, as even all the props wont make the songs any better, then u will have far less props to worry about, between these 2 entries


Greece may do it again... but m afraid the effort from Russia will lead to nowhere... isnt convincing me and the ladder thingy was awful !! plus i miss the first part played with the violin... and eastern countries might vote for Ukraine than Russia... Ani Lorak deserves it more!


Night Editor [45546]
Fri 16 May 2008 23:33:26

@ Scott T: Hear, hear! It's time to put Song back into Eurovision Song Contest. It worked for Serbia.


Erika Lansen [24024]
Fri 16 May 2008 20:14:07

The Russian delagation this year is soo annoying that eventualy their behaviour will cost them in votes...why don't they withdraw anyway??? The contest doesn't get any poorer by the absence of "believe"...pfff


deryameydan deryameydan [47277]
Fri 16 May 2008 19:52:07

MOR VE ÖTESİ-(CRAZY) TURKEY
Sounght, the owner of my soul
Did I fall fight into the spot?
Resisting the subject of my passion
Angered and shrunken
Sounght, the owner of my soul
Did I fall right into the spot?
Resisting, resisting, resisting...
Raise me
Don’t make me cry
Where is the love
You’re so proud of
Raise me
Don’t make me cry
Don’t waste my time
With fake dreams
Sougt, theowner of my soul
Did I fall right into the spot?
Resisting, the subject of my passion
Angered and shrunken
Soungt, the owner of my soul
Did I fall right into the spot?
Resisting, resisting, resisting...
Raise me
Don’t make me cry
Where is the love
You’re so proud of
Raise me
Don’t deceive me
With fak dereams Half sane, half crazy I am
Sane all around me, crazy, one side of me
Everbady else sane, crazy, only me
Crazy, only me...
Raise me
Don’t make me cry
Where is the love
You’re so proud of
Raise me
Don’t make me cry
Don’t waste my time
With fake dreams

video super....


deryameydan deryameydan [47277]
Fri 16 May 2008 19:46:35

mor ve ötesi (crayz) TURKEY


Candyman's Combination [14078]
Fri 16 May 2008 16:52:29

Believe is a bad copy of "Apologize".
Anyway, Dima Belan is untalented. He went semi-nude just to attract votes from girls and gays. Too cheap


Winter Wonderland [44612]
Fri 16 May 2008 16:08:00

Ah, the drama...

Well, I like Believe and not Secret Combination... so I can't really join the Dima-bashing. :)

Besides, how much say do you think the artists have in this? ;)


just... albanian! [30568]
Fri 16 May 2008 15:57:25

i like more kalomira's entry more than dima.


Fill Peterson [45871]
Fri 16 May 2008 15:51:50

the problem is solved cuz there is no more ladder


LIANA SARGSYAN [45906]
Fri 16 May 2008 14:08:00

Go Dima !!! (L) (F) (L)


Jacques Dusart [34344]
Fri 16 May 2008 13:15:24

For this year the two countries can withdraw because their two songs are just awful...


Milan S. [19572]
Fri 16 May 2008 11:18:08

@Yeah Right

Yeah, right!


Yeah Right! [19584]
Fri 16 May 2008 10:53:52

@ Night Elf

You asked HOW RTS can fix a victory for Russia? It's Pretty obvious: MONEY MONEY MONEY!

I think we as fans should send a petition that the break should be after everyone have been performing. Not before Russia, and not after Russia. But everyone! And if there should be a break between the entries it should be in the middle! Not in the end with just few entries left!. The only logical would be a break after 9th or 10th entry then.

RTS AND EBU WORKS IN FAVOUR OF RUSSIA!

BOYCOTT THIS BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN THE WINNER WILL BE FIXED!


eric ath [27108]
Fri 16 May 2008 10:37:55

come on guys relax a bit
the props won't make a difference
they don't work that nice anyway (bit stupid both)
the problem will be solved in one or other way
and both countries will get to the final

and there? there are other things that will make the winner
even though it is for both those countries to win
or at least be Top 5

ps. i like turkey, serbia, albania, norway and cyprus


Nasis Anastis [47664]
Fri 16 May 2008 10:03:52

Greece is trying to solve the problems and Russia does nothing!
EBU do something about it!!!


Neal Harris [21189]
Fri 16 May 2008 09:40:14

If Russia are threatening to withdraw then let them! ;-)


Delphia Hellas [36665]
Fri 16 May 2008 09:25:46

Daniel Laus,

The Greek delegation is doing an enormous compromise. Why? Because two months before ,the organizers were send a DVD with video image of the book, the exact measurment and weight, by our teams director Kostas Kapetanidis. The Greek delegation recieved and OK from the organizers, so, now all this mess has nothing to do with the greeks but created by those who did not ogranize it well, having themselves beforehand all the facts and giving approval. Also, the organizers knowing beforhand all facts, should have arranged 2 exits on the stage, like in previous stages, instead of one. The would no doubt cause troubles to some delegations and would be time-pressuring. And now the greek team is forced to do a few chreography changes to suit the book on wheels, after months of rehearsals.

Under no conditions the Greek team should accept the comercial break be changed and moved before Greece to suit Russia, it is unfair and will open negative precendent in the respectability of EBU, since never, ever has a comercial break been but before the last country performing , it makes no sense, and it is a clear attempt to accomodate in time the Russian props taken out of stage.

If you ask me, I could go even further and suggest NO commercial breaks during ANY song. Only 19 songs, not 40, the commercial break can wait till after all performances.


Scott T [24673]
Fri 16 May 2008 09:18:37

arguing over props...
its a song contest not a bloody musical


Daniel Laus | VODKA!! [30020]
Fri 16 May 2008 08:10:34

In my opinion, I should blame it on the 2 delegations! - but especially on Russia, since the Greek delegation understood the problem and is compromising with the RTS. At this stage , I hope that EBU take legal measures against the Russian delegation and for the forthcoming ESCs'


Greekboy0522 [24241]
Fri 16 May 2008 08:01:29

I still can't believe RTS and the director moved the break from before Russia to after Russia. As if the break before Russia didnt make sense already since its so late in, now it defiantly doesn't make sense to have a break and come back to see 1 country perform. And this was after they confirmed the break would not move. And then you have Russia refusing to change its props. What a disgrace. Greece has already fixed their problem of getting the book on stage faster. But now there is a problem since Russia cant get off stage fast enough.

Shame on them...


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