London 2012: Artistic Director Danny Boyle Offers Tease Ahead Of Olympic Opening Ceremony

Boyle's 'Green And Pleasant' Opening Ceremony For London 2012

London 2012's opening ceremony will see the Olympic Stadium "transformed into the British countryside", said the Games' artistic director Danny Boyle.

Oscar-winner Boyle revealed the Olympics, which officially commence on 27 July with the opening ceremony, will include an opening scene dubbed "Green and Pleasant".

The Slumdog Millionaire director cited Shakespeare's comedy The Tempest as inspiration behind the ceremony.

The play's antagonist, Caliban, has a quote inscribed on the Olympic stadium's 27-tonne bell, reading: "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises."

Cast at Whitechapel Foundry, the bell will hang at one end of the stadium, and Boyle is eager for people to hear it "for hundreds of years".

Boyle, who has also directed British film classic Trainspotting, who has ensured NHS nurses will have a role to play in proceedings, added "working with real people" is the best way to tell a story as he hopes to project "a picture of ourselves as a nation".

Around 10,000 volunteers will help recreate country scenes, against a backdrop featuring farmyard animals and landmarks like Glastonbury Tor. A capacity crowd of 80,000 will witness a full dress rehearsal held prior to the Games.

Already 157 cast rehearsals have taken place ahead of the event in 36 days time, and Lancashire-born Boyle confessed he was "astounded by the selfless dedication of the volunteers".

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