www.culturalolympics.org.uk

“This is for Everyone”: The London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony as a Cultural Celebration Andy Miah

Within the Organizing Committee of an Olympic Games, Ceremonies, Culture and Education are often under the same umbrella, but the Ceremonies occupies a distinctly prominent place within the national and international positioning of the Games and within their The IOC uses a figure of around 1 political staging. billion for the Opening Ceremony, but again this is hard This is because they are the single to evidence consistently. most watched event in the Olympic programme, with the More concretely, the BBC claimed Opening Ceremony often a “peak [UK] audience of 27.3m considered to be the most and an average audience of 23.4m watched single television event in (84% share)” for the Olympic history. Games Opening Ceremony, while 90% of the British population saw While this claim is hard to verify, part of the Olympics. This the related statistical claims by compared to 81% penetration for organisers and broadcasters the 2002 World Cup, its second further evidence the significance most watched event. To further of this part of the Olympic contextualize this figure 61% of programme. On the day of the the population saw the Kate and London 2012 Opening Ceremony, William Royal Wedding in 2011 BBC broadcasters reported a (BBC 2012). global total of 4 billion viewers, a figure that is officially used to While it is in the interest of rights claim total viewing figures for the paying broadcasters to entire Olympic Games. demonstrate the impact of their Olympic investment, the

Culture @ the Olympics, 2012: vol. 14, issue 7, pp.44-57 www.culturalolympics.org.uk comparisons speak to the trying to say. By drawing on the significance of the Olympic media guide it also offers an media content. Whatever the insight into the explicit intentions actual figure of viewers, it is seen of the Opening Ceremony by organizers as a crucial creators for London 2012, while moment to reach out to a global also functioning as an abridged audience and an important insight into how an Olympic symbolic moment for a nation, as Opening Ceremony is structured. it explains who the hosts believe to be to rest of the world. Indeed, Context the Opening and Closing ceremonies together create The London 2012 Olympic Games frames around the Olympic Opening Ceremony was titled programme, providing moments ‘Isles of Wonder’, which alludes to define its significance for a to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. global audience. However, the thematic focus of Danny Boyle is born out in the This imbues their creation with a statement ‘This is for everyone’, pre-defined set of responsibilities, which he explains is inspired by which some ceremony directors the inventor of the World Wide have embraced, while others Web, British born Sir Tim have resisted. The London 2012 Berners-Lee. Opening Ceremony falls into the second category, as its artistic In this sentiment, Boyle reflects director Danny Boyle the role played by Britain in experimented with concepts of bringing about a computer heritage, identity and creative revolution that would change culture, in a way that challenged global communications and people’s expectations of how promotes the idea that the Games Britain would portray itself – and the ceremony - are not just through this unique moment. for a select number of people but, rather, is the widest and largest This essay offers an insight into peace time gathering in history. the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, drawing on Further, he explains how ‘There the script from the Media Guide are no spectators…Everyone in for broadcasters, a document that the Stadium will be part of the is publicly available after the magic’ and this was achieved event, but which can be difficult principally through the use of a to locate, especially with the novel digital ‘pixel’ apparatus in passing of time. The essay every spectators’ seat, which they endeavours to explore the used to construct parts of the symbolic content of the final spectacle. ceremony, thus confirming some of the interpretations that people The running order of scenes for have made about what it was the Opening Ceremony are

Miah, 2012: Opening Ceremony 45 www.culturalolympics.org.uk summarized below (photographs and David Wilkie); the used here were taken by Andy Oxford and Cambridge Miah during the rehearsal on 25 boat race; Battersea Power July 2012): Station with Pink Floyd’s flying pig; the Houses of Countdown Parliament, the London Eye and the Rotherhithe Tunnel – until we reach the Olympic Stadium itself (LOCOG 2012, p.18)

The Countdown ends with the ringing of a specially commissioned Olympic Bell – by Tour de France 2012 Champion – and symbolizes the tradition of bell ringing in London. This new ‘Olympic Bell’, will remain in the Primary Sections: Journey along Olympic Park for 200 years and the Thames, Rings in space, was made by the same company Olympic Bell that made Big Ben in 1858 and the Liberty Bell in1752. Duration: 3mins 26 secs

An opening film sequence, whereby the camera begins in the parish of Kemble in Gloucestershire, the source of London’s River Thames. Viewers follow the camera from here to London encountering along the way:

Ratty and Mole, from the classic children’s book The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame; the Eton Boating Song, school song of Britain’s elite The Guide states: school; great British Bells are a crucial part of Olympians of the past London’s geography: the (June Carol, Margaret definition of a ‘cockney’ is Wilding, Michael Howard, someone born within the John Russell, David sound of Bow Bells; the Hemery, Richard Meade, bell on the Houses of Ian Hallam, John Knoych

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Parliament – Big Ben – Royal Society for the Protection of announces the New Year Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) had and the evening news on been consulted extensively and TV. Historically, church oversaw the involvement of the bells are rung across the animals. country to announce the coming of danger or the The animals were herded away arrival of freedom. At the from the stadium just before the end of war, or at a loud ceremony commenced. coronation, we’re all united by the peal of bells Green and Pleasant Land (p. 19) “This is the countryside we all believe existed once. It’s where children danced Wiggins was also the first British around the maypole and summer was citizen to win the Tour de France always sunny. This is the Britain of The making his presence particularly Wind in the Willows and Winnie-the- additionally within the ceremony. Pooh.”

Television audiences will not Primary Sections: British have been aware that, before this Meadow, Four Nations, Arrival section began, the centre of the of the Brunels stadium was full of farmyard Duration: 4 mins 24 secs animals, which had been providing an entertaining back There are two main narrative drop in the 50 minutes leading up ambitions within this section, one to the global broadcast. relating to the overarching theme of ‘Jerusalem’, which Boyle On the approach to the Games, explains in the Ceremony there had been various protests about the use of animals within introduction: the ceremony, which prompted Woven through it all, there Danny Boyle to respond with a runs a golden thread of hand written letter that circulated purpose – the idea of on the internet indicating that the Jerusalem – of a better world that can be built through the prosperity of industry, through the caring nation that built the welfare state, through the joyous energy of popular culture, through the dream of universal communication….We can build Jerusalem. And it will be for everyone

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The song Jerusalem is sung by the Guide states that ‘This is the Dockhead Choir in London and is countryside we all believe existed followed by recitals of once” and is intended more as an Londonderry Air from the Giant allusion to collective memory, causeway in , rather than a description of Flower of Scotland in Edinburgh, historical fact. Boyle does not and Bread of Heaven sung for claim this is British history, Wales. outside of our imagination.

This section also conveys the This section also attracted spark that led to the Industrial attention in the weeks leading up Revolution, as the great British to the ceremony, as official media engineer Isambard Kingdom briefings led to leaked content in Brunel reads from Shakespeare’s the press. Boyle explained that the intention was to keep the media on side to maintain the secrecy by offering them a glimpse of the content, but images – particularly the set of this section – were communicated by the press (BBC 2012).

Pandemonium “This segment celebrates Britain’s role as the birthplace of the Industrial Tempest’. Revolution – the workshop of the world” (p.22) Music during this speech is from Edward Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’, which Main Sections: The Age of is the music associated with ‘the Industry, Remembrance, The laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph Parade on Remembrance Sunday, commemorating the contribution of servicemen and women in two World Wars and later conflicts’ (p.20).

Of particular interest in this section is the disconnection between what appear to have been Boyle’s intentions and how the media interpreted it. Thus, while many commentators claimed that this section bore little relation to contemporary Duration: 15mins 9seconds post-riot England, the Media

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Within this section, While the explanatory notes acknowledgements are made to make no mention of this, the the rise of the worker class, the forging of a fifth ring by the separation of families that ensued British industrial revolution through urban migration, the rise workers may speak to Britain’s of disease, and the presence of historical role at unifying the war. In a rare moment within world around the Olympic Olympic opening ceremonies, Games. there is a moment of silence as poppy fields and attention is drawn to the Accrington Pals who were ‘over 500 casualties of World War I who died ‘in the first minutes of their first battle – the Somme’ (P.22).

Subsequently, the rise of trade unions and protests are represented. Notably, some performers in this segment are actual descendants of the Two dimensions of this are the campaigners, including ‘Helen inspiration to Pierre de Coubertin and Laura Pankhurst of the great from Much Wenlock for the Suffragette family’ (p.22). The revival of the Modern Olympic section ends with a ‘giant ring Games and the fact that Britain being forged from metal which, took on the task of hosting the joined together with four more, Games in 1908 and 1948 when no creates the Olympic Rings’, other alternative was available. In which then rise above the field of this sense, Boyle may play. Waves of migration to inadvertently also be conveying Britain are also present within Britain’s central place in keeping these parades. the Olympic Games alive.

Happy & Glorious “In a film shot in Buckingham Palace itself, we see Daniel Craig as James Bond and Her Majesty The Queen playing herself, in her first acting role. She leaves with 007 in a helicopter, which swoops over the capital to scenes of great rejoicing on the journey to the Olympic Stadium.” (p.24)

Key Sections: Bond film, Parachutists, Audience pixel screen

Duration: 8 mins 17 secs

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In what became one of the most Second to the right, and memorable scenes of the straight on till morning ceremony, Happy and Glorious takes its title from words within “This segment honours two of Britain’s greatest achievements: its amazing body the UK’s National Anthem. Those of children’s literature and its National who saw the Closing Ceremony Health Service (the NHS). Peter Pan and will also recall that the IOC Captain Hook, Mary Poppins, Winnie- President’s final summary of the the-Pooh, Cruella de Vil, the Queen of London 2012 Games was to say Hearts and Harry Potter were all created by British writers.”1 (p.26) that they were ‘Happy and Glorious’ taking its inspiration Key Sections: Great Ormond from this being a formal section Street Children’s Hospital and of the Opening Ceremony. the National Health Service, JK Rowling, Children’s literature Despite turmoil surrounding the British monarchy over the years, Duration: 11 mins 26 secs the Queen is often considered to be the only stable personality as a role model, whose presence has been crucial at unifying public support at a time that also coincides with her 60th year on the throne – a feat matched only by one previous UK monarch, Queen Victoria.

In this respect, her presence within the ceremony and, in particular, her taking on a role While many international that many will have found to be audiences will have struggled to amusing and humanizing, penetrate this section without transcends all previous guidance from their broadcasters, boundaries and speaks to the this is perhaps the most radical intention of the British monarchy series of statements within the to be more connected with ceremony, particularly its popular, public life, a narrative foregrounding of the NHS, Great that recently begun to emerge. Ormond Street Hospital, and the sometimes disturbing characters This trajectory may also be seen from British children’s literature. in the context of the recent Royal Wedding and the growing Commentators later argued that prominence of the new the presence of the NHS, in generation of Royals, particularly

Prince Harry and Prince William, 1 Mary Poppins was created by an but also Olympic equestrian Australian born writer, who moved to champion Zara Phillips. Britain in her twenties and wrote the story in the UK.

Miah, 2012: Opening Ceremony 50 www.culturalolympics.org.uk particular, which included actual burden of historical importance nurses, sent a message to the and gravitas, with Britain’s most British government that it must celebrated conductor Sir Simon seek to further protect this health Rattle leading an orchestra in a service, which often finds itself rendition of the great vulnerable to bureaucratic composition, within a film that changes and discussions about its defined sports film making. worth. The section aims also to celebrate Among the literary references in Britain’s contribution to film – an this section are Peter Pan (to expected feature in a ceremony which the section title refers), 101 directed by a leading British film Dalmatians, Harry Potter, Chitty director. Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins also makes an appearance to This gravitas is quickly lightened banish the nightmares from the as a surprising figure emerges children in their hospital beds, from the orchestra playing an who have become scared by the electric keyboard – it is Mr Bean, grotesque characters of Cruella the television character played by de Vil and Voldemort. Rowan Atkinson. The scene then becomes a tribute to British comedy, inverting the sequence Interlude and reminding viewers that there is more to Britishness than just “From Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel to James Bond and Harry Potter, British celebrating its political cinema has produced more than its fair achievements. share of great names. Throughout this evening you’ll glimpse moments from In actual fact, the script does not some of the best-loved British movies, say that Atkinson is adopting the including A Matter of Life and Death, role of Mr Bean, but in this Gregory’s Girl, Kes, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Mr Bean’s Holiday.” sequence, he haplessly plays a (p.28) single note within the Chariots of Fire composition, in the style of Key Sections: London Symphony Bean, quickly getting bored, Orchestra, Rowan Atkinson, whereupon he starts reading texts Chariots of Fire from his mobile phone.

Duration: 5 mins 3 seconds The scene goes even further by digitally reconstructing the It is not often that an interlude classic beach scene from Chariots within a ceremony becomes its of Fire where Atkinson/Bean is most talked about moment, but seen running alongside the other for London 2012, this became a characters, cheating at the end to globally memorable section. Set ensure his victory, but failing to against the classical score from do so. The media guide notes this the British film Chariots of Fire the as a major surprise, asking piece opens with the weighty broadcasters not to ruin it for

Miah, 2012: Opening Ceremony 51 www.culturalolympics.org.uk viewers by revealing too early through a series of what is about to happen. Sadly, nightclubs that play music the impatience of broadcasters from the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘90s has ruined many such moments and today... but can he in Olympic history. catch her? Will true love triumph?

Frankie & june say... The scene builds towards a Thanks Tim segment that involves the use of social media as a route to starting “The story starts in an ordinary house – a romance and concludes with the kind of house in which most British people live. Our fictional family – Tim Berners-Lee occupying one played by non-professional volunteers, end of the stage, as though he chosen from among our volunteers – is were the architect of all social ready for Saturday night.” (p.30). relations in this new era.

Having founded the World Wide Web, he is also later discovered to have used Twitter to share a comment live from his appearance in the Ceremony, but the more significant point perhaps is that his tweet included links to the WWW Consortium, an organization that champions digital freedom. This may also be seen as another overtly political Key Sections: The family, the dimension of the Ceremony, as night out, Tim Berners-Lee governments around the world threaten to restrict online Duration: 20 mins 57 secs freedom. This section marks the coming of the pop era, from the 1960s to present day. It is the longest sequence of the Ceremony, except for the formal protocol and parade elements. It takes viewers on a journey through British contributions to popular culture, using music, television, film and the Internet as its media. It does this by telling the beginning of a love story: This section also returns viewers to the original theme for the She drops her phone! He Ceremony summarized in picks it up. He chases her

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Berners-Lee’s quote ‘This is for everyone’, which denoted his intention for the World Wide Web.

Abide With Me “The beautiful hymn ‘Abide With Me’ was written by Henry Francis Lyte in 1847 on his deathbed. He passed away three weeks after finishing it. Its honest expression of the fear of approaching death has made it popular with people of all religions and none.” (p.32) It is a highly physical piece in Key Scenes: Memorial Wall, which dancers portray aspects of Akram Khan and Emeli Sande ́ our biological system. In fact, while the audience was hearing Duration: 5 mins 51 secs the hymn, the dancers themselves were listening to a different In this section, one of the world’s tempo through earpieces, one leading dance companies, Akram that was much faster and Khan Company, perform a short reminiscent of a beating heart. piece. In a press conference with While the script makes no direct Akram Khan following the references to comparisons with ceremony, he explained how athletes, Khan indicated that he Danny Boyle gave him some key spent time learning how athletes structures that would inform the train and how this shaped his process. He said it must respond process around this to Abide With Me, which would be choreography, particularly in the backdrop for the audience learning how to strengthen his and it would last just 5 minutes. body.

Khan went on to say that The dance also resonates with a mortality was the key thematic later theme in the ceremony, as focus of this section, which he felt Khan (also the lead dancer) resonated with the fragility of encounters a child – perhaps his humanity, a concept he felt that child – inviting audiences to many athletes would understand. construe this as a composition During the BBC broadcast, the that is about passing on life from commentator noted that it was a one generation to another. This moment of reflection, following was adopted thematically in the the exuberance of the previous eventual lighting of the Olympic sections, which is also a radical cauldron, where 7 relatively concept for a ceremony that unknown young athletes were otherwise has a continuous, nominated by well known energetic pace. Olympic champions to light the torch on their behalf, thus

Miah, 2012: Opening Ceremony 53 www.culturalolympics.org.uk foregrounding the transference of Parade. So this evening, that’s Team obligation and celebration of GB.” (p.33) future champions, a core Key Sections: Teams, Flitter Drop dimension of the Olympic movement. Indeed, the Games Duration: 1hr 29mins are expressed within IOC rhetoric as being principally a celebration The first formal part of the of the world’s youth. proceedings is the Athletes Parade or ‘Welcome’ as it is The dance is preceded by a called for London 2012. In the Memorial Wall, a digital past, this has been seen as an visualization of people who had excessively long part of the lost their lives in recent times. ceremony and some have called The Media Guide says that for it to be shortened, but it is the spectators were invited to single opportunity for all athletes ‘present images of loved ones to partake in a common ritual. who couldn’t be with us tonight’. Having said that, many athletes While it is common during do not attend since their important symbolic moments to competition may be the next day use a memorial wall to celebrate and they would need to be the lives of people who were lost standing around for a significant within political conflict, this wall length of time. was just for everyday people who had passed away recently. In this respect, the section transforms an Bike a.m. otherwise narrowly defined “This segment celebrates the bicycle – concept into a celebration of life not just its part in the Games, but its role that has passed and is perhaps in ordinary life” (p.34) one of the most thoughtful Key Sections: Dove bikes, Arctic aspects of the ceremony, though Monkeys it is easily overlooked. A further dimension against which one Duration: 3mins 1second may interpret this section, is the use of such memorial walls A traditional closing sequence in within film ceremonies, such as the Olympic Games opening the Oscars or BAFTAs and this ceremony refers to the peace presence seems to speak directly dove in some way, alluding to the to that principle. Olympic Truce. For London, these ‘dove bikes’ refer further to the naturalist Louise Helle’, Welcome whom the Guide quotes as “At every Games, the Athletes’ Parade is having said “Bicycling is the led by Greece to honour the birthplace nearest approximation I know to of the Olympics. They’re followed by the flight of birds”. The teams from the rest of the world in prominence of the bicycle also alphabetical order, with the exception of the Host Nation who conclude the aims to build an association to

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British history, the modern • Doreen Lawrence OBE bicycle being invented “in (Londoner and founder of Scotland by a blacksmith named Stephen Lawrence Kirkpatrick Macmillan”. Charitable Trust, pursuant of justice),

Let the Games Begin • Ban Ki-moon (UN This segment marks the official opening Secretary General), of the Games and includes traditional Martina Silve (fighter elements common to all Opening against destruction of the Ceremonies: speeches by the Chair of Brazilian rainforest), and the Organizing Committee and President of the IOC; raising the • Muhammed Ali (former Olympic flag; singing the Olympic anthem, and Oath taking. It culminates boxer and charity worker). with Her Majesty The Queen officially declaring the Games open” (p.35)

Duration: 12 mins 24 secs There is a Light That Never The choice of flag bearers is Goes Out generally considered to be the “Kindled from the rays of the sun at the more symbolic element of this Temple of Hera in Olympia, the section, from the host nation’s Olympic Torch has spent 70 days perspective. Among the London travelling around the UK, carried by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers chosen 2012 flag bearers, were: by their own communities for the light that they bring to the lives of others” • Daniel Barenboim (co- (p.36) founder of the West- Eastern Divan Orchestra) Duration: 7 mins 7 secs

• Sally Becker (aid worker Perhaps the most anticipated during the Balkan war and moment of the Opening Goodwill Ambassador for Ceremony is the lighting of the Children of Peace) Olympic cauldron, which is often seen to make some historically • Shami Chakrabati CBE significant statement about the (Director of Liberty and host nation. human rights activist), At the Atlanta 1996 Games, it was • Leymah Gbowee (Nobel boxer Muhammed Ali, who Peace Prize winner), famously cast aside his Olympic medals from the Rome 1960 • Haile Gebrselassie Olympic Games, after returning (distance runner and home only to find the colour of London 2012 Ambassador his skin still dominated how for International people treated him. Being given Inspiration), this honour in the state of

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Georgia was seen to be especially successes of at the symbolic of how the world had London 2012 Games) and then changed since and a fitting the nominating athletes: Lynn tribute to one of America’s Davies, Duncan Goodhew MBE, ‘greatest’ athletes. Dame DBE, Dame Mary Peters DBE, Shirley Alternatively, at the Sydney 2000 Robertson, and Games, aboriginal athlete Cathy Sir CBE. Freeman lit the cauldron causing reverberations across Australian society, where there had been And in the end... significant tensions between “An impressive pyrotechnic display in white people and indigenous the Stadium and around the Olympic Australians for some years. Park will bring the Opening Ceremony to a close. Having sat in darkness all It is in this context that the person evening, the 115m-highe ArcelorMittal chosen for the task is seen to be Orbit will be bathed in light before one important and London’s of Britain’s greatest musical icons takes to the stage under the Olympic Bell” approach extended further its (p.37) alternative Olympic programme, which began the moment they Key Sections: Rings in space chose the radical design for the emblem. Thus, in London’s case, Duration: 2 mins 30 secs they did not choose a single athlete, but 7 young and Of particular cultural significance relatively unknown athletes who in this section was the had been nominated by more appearance of Sir Paul senior athletes. McCartney who sung ‘Hey Jude’ to end the evening, a song that As mentioned earlier, it conveyed often ends a night out in Britain. the passing of the torch from one The Orbit is also the largest generation to the next and gave public art piece in Britain and priority to the youth of the world. was brought about by a It also allowed London to collaboration between artist incorporate all of its most Anish Kapoor and architect Cecil significant symbolic individuals Balmond. within this most important section. First, brought the torch by speedboat Conclusion along the River Thames in its final leg towards the stadium The London 2012 Olympic joined by women’s footballer opening ceremony broke ground Jade Bailey. in two important ways. First, its unique irreverence and sheer The torch was then taken by humour brought a different Steve Redgrave – Britain’s grammar to a ceremony that is, greatest Olympian (until the otherwise, seen as a very serious

Miah, 2012: Opening Ceremony 56 www.culturalolympics.org.uk affair, perhaps too serious. The complex set of signifiers Second, it delivered a nuanced, within Danny Boyle’s Opening artist led vision for a ceremony, Ceremony may be the reason returning Olympic fans to the why historians will reflect on creative innovation of the London as being an exceptional Albertville 1994 ceremony. and transformative Games, not just ‘happy and glorious’ as IOC In more recent history, opening President Jacques Rogge would ceremonies have been so packed have us remember them. full of representational statements that the opportunities to draw people's attention to specific matters of social References importance, rather than the entire history of a nation have been BBC (2012, 4 July) Danny Boyle limited. ‘sorry’ over Olympic ceremony leaks. BBC Online, Available online: The London 2012 Opening http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/en Ceremony demonstrated a tertainment-arts-18702569 confidence in Britishness, at a time when an identity crisis LOCOG (2012) London 2012 looms, with questions about its Olympic Games Opening Ceremony future in Europe and further Media Guide. LOCOG. Scottish devolution are key political issues for the nation.

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