DREAM FACTORY
Cast of thousands lined up for ‘magical’ Roald Dahl centenary celebrations in Welsh capital
IT will be Cardiff like you’ve never seen it before. A cast of 6,000 people will take to the city’s streets to put on a production which it is hoped they will never forget in what will be the highlight of the centenary celebrations for the birth of Roald Dahl.
Organisers hope it will turn the eyes of the world on the capital as city landmarks are transformed over the weekend of September 17 and 18.
While they are staying tightlipped on what it will entail, organisers have released some hints.
The creator is Nigel Jamieson, who has been involved in the Sydney Olympics and Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in 2002.
Participation director Jon Norton expects 10,000 people will have been involved by the time the show starts.
They need 2,000 choristers, 1,000 dancers, including Lindy hop dancers and ballerinas, 50 Morris Minor drivers, 40 bald men, 13 magicians, four brass bands, three excavator drivers, a Spitfire pilot, firemen, circus artists, aerialists, rock-climbers, grandparents, children, and a performing mouse.
A call has also been made for farmers with their tractors, bald men “who have a penchant for dressing up”, and grandparents “some with mobility scooters”.
Support staff, cooks and marshalls are also needed to look after and feed the huge cast. Asked to describe the event, Nigel said: “Imagine a city which for two days was taken over by the imagination of Roald Dahl and where the laws of everyday and physics gave way to the laws of magic and surprise – that’s it.”
The event won’t be stationary as crowds will be moving around the city to see the action, which will be constantly evolving.
There will be road closures while Cardiff Castle, the city’s market, and the National Museum of Wales will all be part of the backdrop.
On the Sunday a huge Dahlian picnic will be held in Bute Park.
Nigel said: “Turn up with a picnic basket for a Dahlian picnic. Expect some magic surprises and plenty of entertainment, unexpected performances to watch, and there’s also going to be quite a lot of readings.”
He wouldn’t be drawn on who would be doing them, but said it would be “unexpected not to expect some recognisable faces”.
Nigel met Dahl when he was dating the author’s daughter, Tessa.
“I knew him a bit, I was in love with his daughter for a short time. I was living in England and they were in Gipsy Cottage.
“He was a memorable man. At that time he was rather dismissive of me, but I remember him as extremely tall and he was a witty and friendly man.
“It was a magical place and he was a magical man.”
Since being signed up for the project he has read the books, and said his favourites were James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and Danny Champion of the World.
“They’re as enjoyable for adults as kids. I love the books. I love the way he talks straight with kids. However preposterous it is there’s something very direct and honest about the way he communicates.”
Nigel was asked to take part in July last year when he travelled from Sydney to visit Cardiff. He was on board almost immediately.
He flew back to Australia 48 hours later.
“My head was exploding with ideas and quite a few of those have made it through to design and are now being constructed,” he said.
“I haven’t lost that sense of excitement I felt on that day.
“It’s going to be a weekend when the whole city becomes unexpected. All the imagination of Roald Dahl and everything rooted in his stories and the characters.
“Imagine you gave him the keys and he could change the whole city. Imagine he walked down the street and if he didn’t have the traffic and the people were his cast.
“Everyone has their own idea of what will happen on the day. Expect places where things go bigger or upside down or get eaten by a rhinoceros – they all happened in Roald Dahl’s imagination.”
Nigel added: “Here in Cardiff we have the possibility to transform the whole city. It’s such a beautiful place to do this in.
“I think the show is going to be a fantastic spectacle. I hope it’s going to be moving and emotional in the way the books are. It’s very much looking at how we can do that on a big scale but also give it a sense that we really care and really get moved. We need to laugh and be amazed.
“Hopefully it will be something people don’t forget.”