Hello
I was lucky enough to go to the dress rehersal of the opening ceremony last night
Any questions I will be happy to answer
There were some things ‘kept secret’, for example we didnt see the Olympic flame being lit or even the positioning in the stadium.
Obviously spoilers from this point on
Okay - did you like it? Given the spectacle of the Beijing ceremonies, does London try to do it at that level or are they going for something different?
I enjoyed it!
The park was wonderful and the atmophere was electric
Does it compare to Beijing? No, but its going for a completely different feel.
In my opinion the opening 30 mins were fantastic
Its a history of Britain, changing from green a plesant land (cricket on the green, farm animals etc) to a industrial revolution with a thumping beat.
All leading to the formation of the Olympic rings, amazing
The house party/music history of Britain was a bit bland
And the dance piece that followed missed me completely but the group next to me were in tears!
Will Black Sabbath be performing?
(One can dream.)
The news this morning says you were all sworn to secrecy. Did they make you sign something or just all raise your right hand or do pinky swears with the people sitting next to you?
Hmm… wasn’t there some sort of Empire there, too?
Weren’t attendees asked to #savethesurprise?
Did it involve a 5,000 member synchronized High Tea?
Did 4 battalions of the Queen’s Guards stand perfectly still for 3 hours while marching bands, flame-throwers and jugglers attempt to get them to react?
Given that most of the ceremony comes from the 1936 Nazi Olympics, why do we still have it?
All that stuff about lighting the torch and passing it sounds so “third reich-ish”-can’t we come up with ceremonies that have less unpleasant associations?
How about an “Olympic Tea Party”? That would be much nicer.
Yes, but everything I have told so far is readily available on the web. You can even see clips on youtube.
If you dont want spoilers, dont enter the thread
There was no ‘swearing or vowing to keep the suprise’ and believe me my description doesnt do it justice.
The artists I saw were either complete unknowns or very small ‘stars’ Dizzy, and Rizzle Kicks (?) Im assuming the big names are being kept a secret. There were periods of silence and blank screens which were to keep the secret
Kennith Branagh does a rousing speech, shakespearian I think
Are there really going to be live sheep?
Seriously?
Perhaps I missed an earlier thread or something (and if so, my apologies and feel free to direct me there), but how did you come by this opportunity for involvement, illuminati? Does this have something to do with your profession or were you part of a cattle-call audition or what?
A friend of mine is one of the thousands of performers
There are live horses, sheep, geese, goats cant remember any others but may have missed them
Farm animals, flashing lights and roaring crowds?
No way in hell am I missing this one.
Is this article accurate, what with the 30 Mary Poppinses fighting He Who Shall Not Be Named?
Yes, big set piece involving the staff of great Oenone street hospital fighting literary characters, including captain hook, queen of hearts and voldermort.
Mary poppins is on the kids side, as is Harry Potter himself
Did they employ the use of a stand-in “bum double” for the lovely Pippa?
Thanks for the confirmation… I’m looking forward to seeing this!
Was Keith Moon there?
If they do a stylized version of “ascot gavotte” and “consider yourself” I’ll satisfied. Will Harry Potter figure in it?