It's fair to say east London is not at its sparkling best, and the
prospect of standing at the gates of Three Mills Studios for most of the day is
not what everyone would call a dream start to the weekend.
Duty
calls. Everyone in the Ceremonies team,
and many of our friends from other LOCOG departments, are volunteering to help
out with our mass cast auditions to find dancers, musicians and all manner of
performers for London 2012’s Opening and Closing Ceremonies
The London 2012 Ceremonies will feature a cast of around 20,000 performers
from around the UK. My shift is on
Reception to welcome five or six hundred of the 10,000 members of the
public who are being auditioned over the first phase of the process. They come
in batches of 200 from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Armed with a
mountain of wrist bands and a mug of tea, we listen out for the chimes of the old
studio clock, and on the stroke of eight the iron gates open. We’re greeted with
a queue snaking back along the side of the building towards the River Lea.
The first arrivals – and we discover they’ve
been there since well before dawn – are two teenage girls from nearby Newham.
They break into a canter to stake their claim as the day’s first in line.
Others have large bags of luggage, and one reveals he’s a part-time juggler and
has his balls and skittles with him just in case.
One or two start out pale and
quiet with apprehension, but most speak in quick fire sentences that splutter
excitement. Some have dance or gym kit under raincoats – others look fresh from
the allotment or a day in the office.
Infectious enthusiasm
London in
all its glory is there – every community, creed and age group has its
representative. Earlier in the week, I hear, we welcomed a couple of 90 year-olds, and now we greet super-fit
rugby players, petite grandmothers, severely disabled teenagers, groovy dudes
from Notting Hill, a visually impaired gymnast and a fully dressed clown,
complete with red nose.
It’s not
just Londoners though. One woman tells me she started her journey from Sussex
at 5.30am. I ask another if he has had a long trip? 'Not really', he says
beaming, 'only from Manchester'. The travellers gold medal, however, goes to the man who
spent the night on a train down from Glasgow, came directly from Euston
station, attends his audition and will get straight back on the train north for
a gig tonight back in Glasgow.
The
enthusiasm of our auditionees is not just mildly infectious; it is the most
glorious contagion. Our Ceremony Technical Director has become a willing
costume fitter for the day. Our parsimonious and dedicated Finance Director
(Auditions Marshall for today) tells me he’s enjoying it so much he’d like to
spend more weekends like this. Our security staff are discussing what parts
they would dream of in the Opening Ceremony.
After months
and months of planning, thinking and testing, the arrival into our production
centre of this super-human, super-highway of reality and enthusiasm is
bringing all our plans and aspirations for the London 2012 Ceremonies to life.
If you missed out on the first phase,
we’ll be opening up another chance to show what you’re made of early in 2012. As for me, it's the
evening shift tomorrow night – back on Reception till late. Bring it on!
Watch a video blog about the London 2012 Ceremonies auditions
Find out more about auditioning to be part of the London 2012 Ceremonies
