Niknak's mum's Olympic blog - Opening Ceremony dress rehearsal 25th July

Our Olympic excitement really began mid July, when Richard (my hubby and Nick and Giles’ dad) told us he was able to get us tickets for a technical rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony for which he was mixing the sound in the stadium! He was down on site for about six weeks and only managed to get home for a couple of days early on and, as the big day approached, we didn’t see him for three whole weeks. Tickets arrived in the post and plans were made to drive down in the morning and stay with friends in north London after the show. An early start was planned as we were coming in on the A40 and on to the north circular where the ‘games lanes’ were due to become operational that morning and we would also be passing Wembley stadium. By some chance I checked the Torch Relay route for that day and couldn’t believe that it would pass right by the end of the road we were heading for on that very afternoon. Plans were hastily re-drawn, quick packing was done, dog sitting and accommodation rearranged and we left Tuesday instead, arriving late evening in Southgate after a pretty smooth journey. ‘Sensible change of plan’, I thought.

Being someone who doesn’t like to leave anything to chance we left from Palmers Green station at lunchtime on Wednesday, even though we knew the Olympic Park would not open till 5pm. After a journey with no hitches on the overground we arrived at Stratford and enjoyed a long ‘Wagamama’s’ lunch and were joined by Becky, a dear friend of mine who was using our 4th ticket. It was an unbelievably hot day, almost unbearable to stand out in the open, and we arrived at the queue for the gates just as they opened. Security ran smoothly and we were soon inside.

The atmosphere was wonderful, you could feel the excitement in the air, we were the first 80,000 people who were going to experience the Olympic stadium filled to capacity and we were going to get a sneak preview of ‘that’ Opening Ceremony! We were all sooooo excited!!!

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Richard has told us that parts of the show would be missing and also that we would be unlikely to see him during the evening. Understandably he was very busy, but as we climbed the stairs to find our seats the phone rang and then there he was, looking tired, stressed and nervous. So the boys got some time with their dad at his mixer …
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We’d heard all the leaks about farm animals and clouds, not from Richard I hasten to add (he was sworn to secrecy), but nothing prepared us for the scale of the scene before us as we stepped inside. It really was extraordinary, a rural idyll inside the Olympic stadium which slowly came to life as people, cows, sheep, cart horses and geese appeared whilst giant clouds wafted around the perimeter held on strings. This was just the prologue, a lot of which happened before the ceremony proper and so was not shown on the television on the Friday night. Before the opening of the show proper the ‘mechanicals’ (volunteers in dungarees slightly reminiscent of Oompaloompas) took us through things we would be required to participate in like waiving the pixel gadgets attached to every seat and passing the giant blue silk flags over our heads from the top of the stadium. Actual speeches were rehearsed substituting names to be kept secret, like ‘John Smith’ for the moment when Bradley Wiggins would ring the bell. Danny Boyle told us that moments when the screens were blank meant that there was something they were saving for the big night on Friday and most importantly asked us to ‘save the surprise’ with regard to what we would see, we could take pictures, ‘but please don’t share them’.



Cricket and football matches were played, an orchestra played Elgar, children danced round maypoles, as the show began there was so much happening there was almost too much to watch. Then the drums began, the tree rose from the Tor at the north end and men began emerging from the ground. The grass was being rolled up and carried away by hundreds of people and when the chimneys came up from the floor it took my breath away. The transformation from the countryside to the industrial revolution was spectacular, and a highlight for me, ending in the forging of the ring which rose to join the others, which flew in from the edges of the stadium and make the five which exploded with fire.

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We didn’t see J K Rowling, James Bond or Her Majesty the Queen or the inimitable Mr Bean, though we heard the music for both the latter; The flying bicycles were nowhere to be seen. Most of you will have seen the rest and I feel I may be going in to too much detail here. Around 10.15pm we were asked to vacate the stadium and they began to rehearse the athletes’ parade. All I can say is that it was a night we will never forget and that we were so proud of Richard and even more so on Friday night when we watched in awe at home on the television. Even after the rehearsal as we made our way to the station amongst 80,000 fellow lucky souls the atmosphere was great, the volunteers in their umpire’s chairs who guided us were brilliant and funny and we arrived back with our hosts about midnight. What a day!

More rehearal photos .....

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You were very lucky to be able to see that!

Fantastic stuff! It must've been a great experience seeing the opening ceremony come together.

Marvellous, must have been a special experience!

Wow. Thanks for this Niknak's mum.

What an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing - now that you can!!

Wow! Sounds like an amazing experience! Thanks for sharing :)

wow - what a treat! Thanks for the great pics!

What a treat thanks for the blog and pictures.

thanks for sharing , must have been incredible for u all !!! Your boys are so cute :)

Incredible experience for you all. Thanks for blog and pics and glad the boys got to see Dad. Remember me to Nick.:) A close friend of mine was there also with hubby as her son was one of the dancers. Memorable night for those who had connections.;):clap: