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

[Hassled]

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?

ceremony then athletes - parade starts at 10 approx

apparently it has to be dark for the whole show to work & it doesn't get dark until 9pm

of course if it turns rainy & gloomy tomorrow it may get dark much earlierr...

Oh that's 4pm our time. I might even get to see it! Will bribe DS with snacks...and take him out to tire him out in the morning.

\link{http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9417163/London-2012-Olympics-What-can-we-expect-from-Danny-Boyles-Opening-Ceremony.html\some details here} (spoiler alert)

nobody has to watch now!

'At 9pm ? moved forward from the original, and some might say apt, time of 20.12 as Boyle wanted the ceremony to be dark from the very beginning ? Daniel Craig, the James Bond star ( or a stunt man in his place ) will abseil into the stadium out of a helicopter'

WTAF?

Ah, nice try, the Telegraph - but the description doesn't actually do it justice. They've revealed a few things, but I wouldn't really call it a spoiler.

Very public-spirited of the telegraph.

My sister's involved in the opening ceremony.

She won't tell us anything about it! She just keeps saying it's going to be ace, and smiling mysteriously!

I'm in it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I know MN frowns on over-use of exclamation marks, but I'm so excited.

I can't tell you either, but it will be BRILLIANT. Danny Boyle has got it so right.

The artistic bits come before the Athletes' Parade.

I have seen the rehearsal. There's a lot to take it but it's brilliant. Really well done, very British moving, witty, stirring, and very well-performed by (mainly) volunteers.

It has Danny Boyle written all over it as well.

I think anyone who doubts we can do this sort of thing well will be surprised.

Oh yes, the Telegraph should be a bit ashamed of itself.

My cousin has been involved in some of the aerial bits and my parents went to the technical rehearsal last night. They were a bit 'meh' about it tbh. They were really positive about how amazing the venue was, and the organisation, and the security etc, but were really nonplussed about the show. Am hoping it's because they are over 60 and don't like lots of loud noise! They did concede that it probably looks better on TV, but my mother said "So glad we didn't pay £2012 to be there"......

There were some moaners behind us, but the vast majority (60+ ladies included) were as overawed as us

Panic , I think they're probably right that it will look better on TV. We've been told "Do this/that/the other like this because of the cameras.

I cried at the end of my segment last night.

green - can i just say, that what impressed me, is that usually when you've got that number of people dancing/acting together, there are a few who are not so "on it" and professional. Every person I could see was bloody great - you should be so proud of yourselves

I was there last night!! 2nd row, woohoo!

People, let me tell you, I was so proud to be British!!! I am probably the most patriotic person I know though, so I was totally overwhelmed, but I'm sure even the biggest misery will feel a twinge of pride!! Have not read this whole thread i'm afraid so I'm sure I'm jut repeating the sentiments of others, but we're not allowed to give much away!! "#savethesecret" and all that.

I personally thought the opening bit was the best, not boring! There is something exciting with a big helicopter, the way the rings are presented is gorgeous, lots of British music (classical, traditional, modern etc).

SO PROUD of our history!!! Ahhhh! Hope you'll all be in front of a screen at 20:12 tomorrow night!!

Wop - agree! But I'm not particularly patriotic. Made me proud

I also went last night. The tickets were all free and seem to have been given out to relatives of the performers or volunteers.

It was AMAZING! Again, we've all been sworn to secrecy (and really, I think anybody who does reveal important stuff is really mean), but I can tell you that you won't be shamed infront of the world. It is a bit mad and completely different from any other opening ceremony I've seen, but I was blown away.

I also cried at one particular section. It was super emotional. There are a few bits that we have no idea about, because information was not revealed i.e. we got the music, but nothing happened, so we don't know everything that is going to happen- though rumours were rife.

There was quite a lot of speculation about the torch. Am I ok to talk about what I don't know?

Erm... going to go ahead anyway. Right, don't know what anybody else thinks, but there didn't seem to be anywhere obvious for the torch to be lit. Was I just blind? We were trying to figure it out and actually, myself and the random people next to me have speculated that it's not going to go in the stadium itself at all. We reckon it's going to go in the twister outside. Perhaps being lit at the bottom and then the flame lighting all the way up? There is a bit at the top of the twister that had no lights on it. Either this was an electrical error (very possible) or it would be an ideal place for a big flame-like beacon.

Other things that were cool- did anybody glance over the side of the main bridge and see the water droplets dripping into the shape of words? This was one of the coolest things I've ever seen!

SO exciting.

I'm so glad to hear from other people who loved it. I was nearly in tears. The elderly lady next to me was vibrating with excitement.

In my perfect dream world the Queen would veto any appearance of Paul McCartney within 25 miles of the stadium. She would throw a sickie (like Philip did) and refuse to be seen in the same postcode as McCartney.

Any more ideas of people we are going to try and ban.

Do you think if we ask the Queen would have Macca put in the tower of London for a whole two weeks from tonight?

Agree about McCartney

Most people who were in the Jubilee Concert, actually.

tortu I don't see those word water droplets but sound lush. I love thy kind of stuff! I got there quite late so didn't have time to explore the park, apparently it's beautiful! By the main bridge do you mean like the bit you walk over from security to the stadium?

The stadium was much smaller than I imagined. Loved the troops andthe free water, and how quickly all the queues moved (daily mail fully slating the queues and lack of water today! They clearly weren't there). Lived all the games makers, so happy and helpful. I thought there were too many if anything, their shouting directions very metre was a bit annoying - the signs are hard to miss! But will be necessary when lots of tourists and more people are around.

God sorry for awful spelling :( stupid phone. I reckon you can get the gist...

I've heard from friends who saw the rehearsal that it's fab and that all the talking about sheep, geese etc is just to lower expectations.
Hope they're right! I'm looking forward to it, even though I'm a bit of a cynic about us hosting at all TBH.

By the way green well done for last night and good luck for tomorrow!!! Everyone looked so happy and on-point with their moves :) I'm singing in the closing ceremony and we haven't even had any rehearsals yet or our costumes yet - when did your rehearsals with everyone involved begin??