The Metropolis

Olympic opening ceremony plans are revealed: sound very Midsomer Murders

Mike Pollitt | Tuesday 12 June, 2012 14:47

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The BBC reports details of Danny Boyle’s plans for the London 2012 Opening Ceremony:

“A cast of 10,000 volunteers will help recreate country scenes, against a backdrop featuring farmyard animals and landmarks like Glastonbury Tor.”

Shakespeare is prominent, and the Britain depicted sounds merrie, old and English.

“The set will feature meadows, fields and rivers, with families taking picnics, people playing sports on the village green and farmers tilling the soil.”

Then John Nettles will come on and solve a brutal combine harvester murder before nipping into a tavern for a well deserved pint of pale ale.

But enough snark. Let’s not prejudge this until we’ve seen it. Danny Boyle deserves a fair crack and I’m sure he’s got plenty up his sleeve. But I hope he finds room for a modern, urban vision of Britain too.

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