DESCRIPTION:
Poem inspired by the London 2012 Olympics.


This was originally written and recorded as the Olympics were coming to an end. But, to mark 100 days since the games, the run-up to Sports Personality of the Year and, mostly, Danny Boyle's Beyond Theatre award for the Olympics opening ceremony (where this project got its name), we decided to put this into film.

It's called That Fifth Ring, owing to the fifth ring in the opening ceremony, which was forged during all the madness of the 'Pandemonium' section--the metal workers/ when Windrush hurriedly enters the fray--and then raised up through the stadium. See the Opening Ceremoney from around 27 mins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI
What a moment.
The word Pandemonium was invented by the poet John Milton in the 17th Century. In his epic poem, 'Paradise Lost', Pandemonium is the name of the capital city at the heart of hell:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Pandemonium.jpg
As well as guiding beautifully through our chronology, I think this is an expression of our country's multiculturalism:
I think Danny Boyle's message here is that this union comes at a price. But perhaps what we're left with, in the end, is better--even through pandemonium--than what we would have had alone.
Or even: all union demands hell.




Ben Jacobs
https://benjacobswriter.wordpress.com/
https://soundcloud.com/benjacobsuk
https://www.facebook.com/haddanuk
https://twitter.com/benjacobsuk


THAT FIFTH RING
Director -- Max Cogarty [Mentorn Media]
Director & Editor -- Simon Cross [Loft London]
Colouring & Grading -- Jennifer Sheridan [Freelance]
With thanks to Adam Clarke, Billy Knowles and all the other actors of Britain.


View poem -- http://soundcloud.com/haddan/that-fifth-ring-cut
Download audio -- http://www.mediafire.com/?wq3on2wpxd6trwd
Download as PDF -- http://www.mediafire.com/view/?n9ohptzp9ecaow0

Listen to ORIGINAL poem -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xheum7xB6h8
View original poem lyrics -- http://soundcloud.com/haddan/that-fifth-ring
Download original audio -- http://www.mediafire.com/?9o5jlc18158e7wv
Download original PDF -- http://www.mediafire.com/view/?72j8oui161k5ej2