Yesterday's Rehearsal for the Olympic Opening Ceremony was....

[ladybirder]

absolutely BRILLIANT according to a friend of mine who was there. Danny Boyle spoke to everyone and asked them not to video it or take pictures to keep it a secret. She said when it started she thought Oh No! but then it all kicked off ad was brilliant. Britain through the ages, Lancashire cotton mills, our shipbuilding history, the 1950's immigrants arriving, punk rockers exploding onto the stage, and much much more. She also said it was very well received by the audience.

This friend is a Newcastle lass not given to getting excited about history but she loved it, especially when they covered the Jarrow March!

Oh, and they couldn't take water bottles in with them. The water had to be decanted into plastic glasses.

So come on, are you pleased it's looking good or are you wanting it to fail?

[Duncer]

Neither.

[thenry]

A celebration of immigration ! Only the Brits could think of that !

[andy-hughes]

Neither either - going abroad on Saturday - yippeee!!!

[Duncer]

.........and I'm going to watch East Stirlingshire play Ayr United, just to get out of the house as Mrs D is an Olympics fan.

[Everhelpful]

Thought it was DANNY Boyle doing it.

[sandyRoe]

I saw a photograph of Muhammad Ali in the paper today. He's looking very frail. Will they really have him involved in the opening ceremony?

[Kiki-frog]

I'm quite looking forward to it. Probably won't watch much of the sport, but I'm really interested to see what they do with the opening ceremony.

[Duncer]

Sandy, I thought he looked dreadful and much prefer to remember him as he used to be.

[craft1948]

I'm really looking forward to it and can't be doing with the doom and gloom merchants. For Christ's sake we're British and we're bloody marvellous...........

[craft1948]

^ another sodding doom and gloom merchant.

[albaqwerty]

And it was asked to be kept a secret Ladybirder!!!

[B00]

"I saw a photograph of Muhammad Ali in the paper today. He's looking very frail. Will they really have him involved in the opening ceremony? "

Why Ali? As great as he was, and he really was- he's not a Brit as far as I know? Surely it'd make more sense to use our own outstanding past athletes?

Also...

Gotta love the half empty glass kinda folk aint ya? CraigWhite, I'm looking at you :P

[ummmm]

I'm looking forward to it.

[bibblebub]

i've heard that "taking your best friend for a walk" can cause you to go partly blind and unable to read names

[sandyRoe]

On the front page of the Mirror today there's a picture of Ali and Beckham with the caption, 'Ali and Becks kick off Olympics'.
I agree Ali has few links with the UK and, as has been said earlier, many would prefer to remember him as he was.

[Duncer]

You need to work on that glass Craig, the only way to get a refill is to empty it!

[marval]

I'd quite like to see it.