Opening Ceremony Day #London2012 (2012 Olympics)

Well its raining quite hard here in Newham, host borough of the London 2012 Olympic Games, at 07.30 in the morning but the nationally broadcast local weather forecast says we can expect it all to dry up in time for the long awaited opening ceremony this evening.

Lego Olympic Park at the Danish House

I’ve seen the hoards of people streaming in and out of the Olympic Park at Stratford the past few evenings as the final dress rehearsals have taken place, and they are all very keen on the idea that nobody should spoil the surprise of watching the spectacle live on TV by revealing any of the big transformations or details about the processions and acts. All that has been confirmed so far in the public domain is that the Orbit Tower is not the Olympic Cauldrom

Danny Boyle

The name of Danny Boyle is on everybody’s lips today, as he is the man chosen to be artistic director of the opening ceremony, but who is Danny Boyle?
Best known for having been director/producer of the film “Trainspotting” he was also the man behind “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Shallow Grave”, “127 Hours”, “28 Days Later” and “Sunshine”, Danny Boyle has also been involved in theatre production including the Royal Shakespeare Company and a theatre production of “Frankenstein” that was broadcast live into cinemas. By the way, another Hollywood director, Stephen Daldry, is one of the executive producers of the opening and closing ceremonies, having directed “Billy Elliott” “The Reader” and “The Hours.”

So what can we expect tonight? Well 9 geese, 70 sheep, 12 horses and three cows. A giant hillside that may or may not open up to turn into something else. A smaller version of the London section of the river Thames, Paul McCartney and James Bond probably. No morris dancers – phew.

The buzzword for the East London games opening ceremony is “British quirkiness” hmm.

Gloriana

Oh yes, the Royal Barge Gloriana is bringing the Olympic flame down the Thames and quite possibly up the River Lea Navigation and into the Olympic park. I remember when it was all overgrown towpaths and supermarket trolleys.