Spoiler Alert?

There have been tons of spoilers about the ceremonies leaked to the media. As someone who has signed a confidentiality agreement and actually stuck to it, this is incredibly frustrating. I've been on the tube as rehearsal has gotten out and heard cast members continue talking about confidential things while wearing their L2012C lanyard and ID badge indicating their status as a performer. We were warned about this, and about not talking to any "aggressive journalists" we encounter (ironic, considering I AM a journalist...), but people are just blatantly not careful. This extends right up to whoever decided that Dagenham would be a good rehearsal site; it's wide open and right in front of a highway, where some of these highly revealing photos were obviously shot from. It's really a shame.

I, personally, love knowing things that other people don't, so I won't be sharing what's been published. If you want to know, it's out there, but I won't be helping the people that are trying to spoil what's supposed to be the best kept secret about the Olympics. I'm happy to say, though, that my favorite part (one of the biggest set changes in history, might I add) remains a secret. So when your jaw is hanging open on July 27th, I shall rest my case.

However, I feel okay talking about what was officially released by Danny Boyle himself.

Work has now started to install the set for the opening scene of the Ceremony, which is called ‘Green and Pleasant’. On entry to the Olympic Stadium in east London the audience will see a scene that represents a traditional and idyllic view of the British countryside.

The whole of the field of play in the Stadium will be transformed into the rolling British countryside as the London 2012 Ceremonies Team creates one of the largest sets ever built. The set will be complete with meadows, fields and rivers, and featuring families taking picnics, sport being played on the village green and farmers tilling the soil whilst real farmyard animals graze – including 12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese, 70 sheep, and 3 sheep dogs.

Each of the four nations will be represented by their national flower – the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and flax from Northern Ireland. 

I've seen so much negativity about even this tiny bit of information. People are flipping out and whining about how the Opening Ceremony is going to be a field. Let me just draw your attention to one sentence -- "Work has now started to install the set for the opening scene of the Ceremony..." The opening scene of the ceremony. The opening scene of the ceremony.

THE

OPENING

SCENE

OF

THE

CEREMONY.

Not "the Opening Ceremony." The opening scene of the Opening Ceremony. Danny (because we're on a first name basis. And I'm actually not kidding) was further quoted as saying;

The Ceremony is an attempt to capture a picture of ourselves as a nation, where we have come from and where we want to be.

Now, not only is this man an Oscar-winning director and a complete genius, he's also British. Does this sound like the kind of person who thinks that the essence of Britain is still found in a field? The field is the opening scene, aka the beginning of the narrative of the ceremony, aka "where we have come from." Britain did not stay a field, and nor will the ceremony.

I'm rather astounded by the negativity of British people about their own Olympics. I mean, it's one thing to not have wanted them in the first place, but unless you've been hiding under a rock and hadn't noticed, they're kind of happening. It's the rest of the world's job to tear you down -- why are you helping them? Don't you want to have some pride in your nation and what it's capable of accomplishing? If the Olympics come back to the US in my lifetime, I wouldn't be caught dead badmouthing them. Have some respect for your countrymen that have put their hearts and souls into this event.