Cara Cooper's blog: FABULOUS London Olympic Opening Ceremony

Saturday, 28 July 2012

FABULOUS London Olympic Opening Ceremony

WOW, FABULOUS, AMAZING, QUIRKY, CONFUSING, HILARIOUS - Danny Boyle's opening ceremony was all of those and more. An extraordinary hotch potch of everything that makes up Britain today. What a stroke of genius to congratulate the workers of the NHS who are so often villified when in fact most of them do a fabulous job. How lovely and quirky to see both a posse of Mary Poppins's as well as our WONDERFUL Queen not taking herself too seriously. Tears ran down my face when Rowan Atkinson was playing the fool. Other tears were inspired by Akram Khan's totally moving choreography remembering those who couldn't be with us, reflecting a somewhat darker side of terrorism which occasionally blights our wonderful city.

Security has been so tight lately, thank goodness. My home city was celebrated with superb views of the Thames and Tower Bridge and now a new landmark, the Olympic stadium. Was the Olympic opening ceremony relevant, did it reflect us? Totally. So much of it rang bells. Yes, I do listen to The Archers, my sister does live in a rural idyll with farm animals down the lane and my brother-in-law does play cricket on a village green. Dizzee Rascal's rapping does blast out of the streets of Croydon near where I live and work and yes, I have seen Rowan Atkinson filming in London. Yes, I do know someone who volunteered at the opening ceremony. Yes, that kiss between two women on the clips of TV and films reflects that I know more than a few couples in civil partnerships - those things reflect Britain today as did Danny Boyle's wonderful, chaotic, stunning ceremony. Well done Britain, well done Danny, well done athletes, well done London!!!

Here's Daniel Craig trying not to laugh!

5 comments:

Lesley Cookman said...: I'm a complete Olympic-phobe, but I watched it and loved it. So very, very British, but do you think all those foreigners understood it?; 28 July 2012 at 01:40
Scarlet Wilson said...: Loved parts, bewildered by others. Still trying to work out why the choir of kids were in their pj's. Loved bond and loved Rowan. Knackered by the time it was finished!; 28 July 2012 at 01:54
margaret blake said...: I loved every moment and I do have American friends who understood it.
I think it reflective who we are. Wonderfully mesmerizing and the part with the Queen hilarious. What a grand lady.; 28 July 2012 at 03:37
Carol Hedges said...: Wasn't it FUN!!! So much more 'human' than Bejing. Loved the doves. And the nurses. A reminder of who we are and that we should be proud!!!
Well done Danny B.; 28 July 2012 at 05:26
Cara Cooper said...: It was huge fun and poignant. I don't think it matters too much that not everyone from abroad might have understood it, there were bits I didn't understand, like the children in their PJs but I think that makes it stay with you. Every now and then I remember other bits, it was complex and daft at the same time. Lovely!; 28 July 2012 at 05:41