From telescopic towers to flaming rings, the theatricality of the Olympic Opening Ceremony displayed astounding theatricality forged by Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry on the London stage.
Boyle, Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremony, and Daldry, who has overall creative control for both the Opening and Closing ceremonies, delivered an impressive production that will live long in the memory, more for its fairytale ode to the NHS and royal cameo than the questionable choice of closing with Sir Paul McCartney. The extravaganza of all things British won near universal praise and acclaim for its combination of outrageous spectacle, sparkling wit, potted history and infectious warmth that charmed live audiences packed into the Olympic stadium and an estimated billion more watching from their sofas across the world.
Both these creative masterminds may be best known for their award-winning multi million pound big screen triumphs that include Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting (Boyle), Billy Elliot and The Hours (Daldry), but the history of both reaches back to the cutting of teeth in London theatre.
In fact, both worked at London’s leading new writing venue, the Royal Court; Boyle joining as Max Stafford-Clark’s Deputy Director in 1982 before leaving to join BBC Northern Ireland, and Daldry leading the venue as Artistic Director between 1992 and 1998, and premiering plays including Caryl Churchill’s A Number, Arnold Wesker’s The Kitchen and David Hare’s Via Dolorosa.
It was in 1992 too, that Daldry directed JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls for the National Theatre. The famous production, with its Expressionistic set and trio of time zones, proved so successful that it transferred first to the West End, where it ran for eight years, and then to Broadway.
While the lure of the silver screen tempted both directors away from London’s historic stages, they both returned with award-winning productions.
In May 2005, Daldry launched Billy Elliot The Musical at the Victoria Palace, adding an Elton John score to the Lee Hall-penned story of a young boy with an unlikely talent that he previously directed for the big screen. The production won four prestigious Olivier Awards and after seven years and more than 3,000 performances is still one of London theatre’s most popular shows.
Just last year Boyle made an eagerly anticipated return to London, casting Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and former Trainspotting collaborator Jonny Lee Miller to alternate in the role of Dr Frankenstein and his creature at the National Theatre. The production proved to be one of the hottest tickets in town, using all the visual flair and musical magic seen last week at the Opening Ceremony to tell Shelley’s famous story. It too won a brace of Oliviers.
They weren’t, by the way, the only Olivier Award winners involved in kicking off this great celebration of sport. Akram Khan, who led the evening’s more contemplative dance routine, won this year’s Best New Dance Production Award for DESH, while Kenneth Branagh, who made a memorable Shakespeare-quoting, cigar-smoking, sideburn-sporting Isambard Kingdom Brunel, won a Best Newcomer Award back when he was an emerging sprite in 1982.
So, really, none of us should be surprised at the polished theatricality of the event that welcomed the world to London. It just goes to show, once more, that London produces the best theatre in the world.