Boyle reveals London 2012 'Isles of Wonder'

Formalities 27/01/2012

Film director Danny Boyle, most famous for his movies Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionnaire, has revealed that his opening ceremony for London 2012 will be entitled ?Isle of Wonder'. Inspiration for the event was taken from the William Shakespeare play The Tempest and will feature 10,000 performers during a three-hour spectacle. Europe's largest ringing bell, weighing 27 tonnes, will signal the start of proceedings and will have inscribed on it the following quote from The Tempest: "Be not afeared, the isle is full of noises." There will be a special dedication to NHS staff as well as musical support from group Underworld.

Stephen Daldry, who is also working on the project with Boyle, said that the ceremony will be "a journey which will celebrate who we are, who we were and who we wish to be".

Boyle admitted that the scale of the London 2012 opening ceremony would be nowhere near that of Beijing, he hoped to emulate the feeling of Sydney's effort which was known as the people's Games.

It is thought that Boyle will spend around one third of the £81mbudget on the ceremony.