If London — host to the Games of the 30th Olympiad in 2012 — wanted to present a contrasting image to China’s highly regimented and massive Olympic show, the message it sent during the closing ceremony was lost on the average Chinese spectator here.
In an eight-minute handover slot reserved for them in the middle of the lavish Beijing extravaganza, London games organisers challenged Chinese perceptions of English pomp, conservatism and demeanor by rolling out a hip performance better suited to showcase Tony Blair’s ‘Cool Britannia’.
The slot packed an aging rocker from Led Zeppelin, a street performing troupe called Zoo Nation, pop star Leona Lewis and David Beckham -– all centered on top (or around) London’s iconic red double-decker bus. As Jimmy Page played and Leona Lewis sang, the performers finally paid tribute to conventional perceptions by unfolding umbrellas to act out the notorious London downpours.
But for people on the street here — expecting a procession of bowler hats and a float parade of London landmarks like the Big Ben -– the show lacked recognisable emblems and fell flat compared to China’s lavish and flawless pageantry.
“I kept waiting for something to happen but then it was the end and I couldn’t understand the point of it,” said Zhou Xuan who owns a flower business. “All I could grasp was the presence of David Beckham there. Oh, and the umbrellas too! But where was the fog?” (Chinese people often refer to London as the Fog Capital).
Daisy Chan, a nurse, liked the duet but thought the show lacked a main theme. “There was nothing there to be remembered for,” she commented. “Neither the colours nor the costumes were great. I hope they do better at the opening ceremony.”
