Mary Poppins costume London 2012 Queen Elizabeth II was not the only one to descend from the sky during the Opening Ceremony, which was directed by Danny BOYLE and was infused with typical British humour and charm. Revisiting the modern history of the United Kingdom, the filmmaker made use of a host of iconic characters from British literature, part of the very heart of the country’s identity. In a tribute to the National Health Service, a sequence saw doctors and nurses dancing alongside sick children in beds, only to be surrounded by demons and villains from British children’s fiction, from Captain Hook to Lord Voldemort. Dozens of Mary Poppins then flew down from the sky with their umbrellas to scare off the creatures of the shadows. The jubilant children proceeded to dance on their beds before settling to sleep, reassured by the presence of the magical nannies.