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Original poster

This Danny Boyle 3 hour Opening Olympics England love-fest thing...(warning may contain spoilers)

199 replies

Hassled · 24/07/2012 20:35

I'm agog. I'm so agog I bought the Radio Times to read all about it.
There will be sheep, clouds (yes, clouds), maypoles and all manner of shit. Moshpits, apparently. Glastonbury Tor. Ploughs.

And 3 hours? What happens - we watch the clouds, then we watch the sheep? What are the billions of people involved going to be doing?

I cannot wait. Anyone have any further info?

OP posts:
Merrylegs · 24/07/2012 20:40

I was just thinking about this today and wondering if it was going to be amazing or not. I heard Danny Boyle interviewed on 5 live. Apparently people are already objecting to the sheep - as in, oh it's so cruel, having live sheep.

The aerial shots of the stadium looks like the beginning of Eastenders with the pic of the thames.

I too am agog.

MrsHerculePoirot · 24/07/2012 20:42

My dad went last night - the bit at the beginning apparently was a bit rubbish, some sheep escaped and the clouds were blue peter-esque - lots of very funny texts from him for the first hour! However after all the countryside shenanigans it was very good by all accounts... they are having another practice apparently tomorrow night so maybe by Friday it will be very slick?!?

MissBetseyTrotwood · 24/07/2012 20:43

No. Except there are some very, very big bangs at the end. We heard them last night at about 12.30. They woke us up and the dog nearly stuck to the ceiling with fear!

We know lots of the performers and their lips are utterly sealed.

I am pretty 'meh' about the Olympics sporty bit but this I am excited about. DH has a rare Friday night off work so we are doing lots of yummy snacks/drinkies and we are doing a 'Sillympics' for the DCs during the day. They are choosing anthems for themselves, we have medals and cardboard boxes podiums and will be devising the 'sports' tomorrow.

I favour space hopping and custard eating.

DilysPrice · 24/07/2012 20:49

Most of the 3 hours will be taken up by Micronesian shot putters marching into the stadium, and tedious speeches by bigwigs. Danny Boyle won't get a full 3 hours more's the pity.

Original poster
Hassled · 24/07/2012 20:55

Oh so it's not 3 hours of Danny? I'd thought the marching in with flags thing was seperate, but actually that makes no sense.

Escaping sheep :o

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RancerDoo · 24/07/2012 20:59

Betsey, that sounds fab. I am inspired, dd1 loves a space hopper race!

gregssausageroll · 25/07/2012 08:07

A lot of it will be the teams coming in. By all accounts the fireworks that went off in rehearsal were practice ones. Nothing like what will happen on the night so you might want to be prepared if you live nearby.

HipHopOpotomus · 25/07/2012 16:24

I've seen a photo from the dress rehearsals - there is a scene with Dark Satanic Mills (well industrial smoking tower stacks) and looked very Blake influenced.

I'm going to a party across the canal from the stadium and will be on the lookout for escaping sheep!

legoballoon · 25/07/2012 16:26

So there will be no 'shite in a sheet' reprises (a la Trainspotting?) No 'Shallow Graves' for the CEO of G4S? Just sheep and fireworks?! Not a great mix.

Treats · 25/07/2012 16:31

I was there on Monday night! I can confirm sheep, clouds, maypoles, moshpits, Glastonbury Tor and ploughs. No animals were harmed in the making of the Opening Ceremony (as far as I could see). And there are also some 'dark satanic mills'. There weren't many fireworks. There were also lots of video bits that we didn't see. We also didn't see the actual Queen actually coming in - although she was announced - three volunteers stood in.

I think we watched most of the performance bits, which lasted about an hour and a quarter, so -yes - the rest of the three hours will be taken up with parading athletes and stirring speeches.

The other thing we didn't see was (obviously) the torch coming in. So we are still none the wiser as to how (or who) the flame will be lit.

Very excited for Friday night. Hope it all comes across well on the telly.

Original poster
Hassled · 25/07/2012 22:45

Oooh - someone with insider knowledge!
Tell me about the clouds. It's the clouds which are making me the most agog. Were they on strings? Cardboard? Cotton wool?

OP posts:
lucjam · 25/07/2012 22:57

I know one of the performers as well she is my next door neighbour, she has met Danny Boyle 4 times says he is lovely and she has a bit of a crush on him! She is sworn to secrecy too but said it will be amazing and that it has been written/produced like a film and is meant to be watched on a screen, she said that the peeps at the opening ceremony might find the whole thing a bit odd!

I'm really excited and can't wait to see her, she will be on at 9.40pm ish. Kids are excited too.

Cremolafoam · 25/07/2012 23:09

3 people for the queenHmm - she's must've put on a bit of weight since the JubeGrin
Will Christopher eccleston be hiding in the roof a la shallow grave then? And then descend on a cloud...

ThePan · 25/07/2012 23:15

other possible British film themes:

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner ( as it WILL over run!)
Friday Night/Saturday Morning - geddit?
A Clockwork Orange - it won't go like clockwork..

And Local Hero!

MissBetseyTrotwood · 26/07/2012 07:25

I reckon Becks for the final torch bearer. There must be a book on it at William Hill or something.

ajandjjmum · 26/07/2012 07:39

Can't be Becks - although I love him - he's not an Olympian! Smile

DC were at the rehearsal last night (19 and 20), and they both said it was amazing, with bits that would appeal to all ages. DD said it made her really proud to be British.

They've bought in to the 'Save the Surprise' though, so are being very careful about what they're saying!

Notyouraveragenanny · 26/07/2012 07:51

I saw the technical rehearsal on Monday, we're all sworn to secrecy but it honestly was such an amazing show and I can't wait to watch on Friday night to see what we couldn't see in rehearsal!!

ivykaty44 · 26/07/2012 09:37

Becks is ok - but I will be sooo peaved if he is the torch bearer as he is not an olympian and doesn't deserve that honor when there are a lot of olympic sports people that do deserve it

recall · 26/07/2012 09:41

I went to the second rehearsal last night....don't be fooled by cows and sheep !! and the sheep we did see were munching grass and looked quite content.

recall · 26/07/2012 09:49

notyour i can't wait to see it again either, we were blown away, he is very clever...

notyummy · 26/07/2012 09:55

Steve Redgrave or Kelly Holmes for me.

Does anyone know which way round things are? I mean do we have 17000 different countries with their flags parading first, and then the big show or vice versa? DD is keen to stay up and watch it, but I doubt she will want to sit through the flag stuff.....

LeBUBBA · 26/07/2012 09:59

Apparently it still winds up the way we all predicted it would YEARS ago when it was first announced London had the games: with Sir Paul Fucking McCartney...

TheCheeseAlarm · 26/07/2012 10:00

We were at the rehearsal last night - it was fabulous - the first part is really just to brief the audience on what's happening and what to do. When it starts properly it is amazing.

We loved it - and are really excited about seeing all the missing bits on Friday on TV.

MrsRobertDuvallHasRosacea · 26/07/2012 10:03

I can't wait.
I want them to see what North Korea will do if they get the flag wrong againSmile
(imagines them running amok and scaring the sheep)

Please tell me Sir Paul isn't involved....with his silly bloody thumbs up and dyed hair. Have some dignity man.

snickerdoodle · 26/07/2012 10:12

Just curious - how did you get tickets for the rehearsals? Would have loved to go...