Review: Official Size Five, Wilton’s Music Hall

Review: Official Size Five at Wilton’s Music Hall,  E1

The performance opened to the haunting sound of a football bouncing on the ageing stage of the Wilton’s Music Hall. What sounds an innocuous scene actually created a tremendous sense of trepidation, with each bounce ratcheting up the tension. In the darkened room, the rhythmic sound of leather on wood, which seemed to go on and on, created a real sense of anticipation of what was to come in this mesmerizing abstract piece by dancer, Noel Wallace.

Official Size Five uses the story of Justin Fashanu – the openly gay black footballer who killed himself – as the backdrop for a compelling piece of work. Archive footage of Fashanu was combined with recorded sequences of Wallace performing on a London rooftop, interrupted by live sequences from the pioneering dancer on the stage of the beautiful venue.

The film elements were interspersed with archive appearances of Sister Rosa Tharpe and Jean Michel Basquiat who, like Fashanu, excelled in their field but remained outsiders. While some of the dialogue in the footage was lost to the acoustics of the room, the visuals stitched together a powerful tale which culminated in a stunning live finale, both sensual and horrifying, with Wallace and incredible aerialist Augusts Dakteris.

Official Size Five will be performed again tonight at Wilton’s Music Hall.

For Sale: Tower 42, for £290 million

The City of London”s iconic Tower 42 has been put for sale with a price tag of £290 million.

The tower at 25 Old Broad Street, originally known as the NatWest Tower, is one of six buildings in the City being put up for sale by owners Blackrock and LaSalle Investment Management.

“With limited supply and increasing demand exerting upward pressure on rents in the City market, investors can anticipate strong returns and considerable long term growth potential,” said Jeff Morton, managing director at Blackrock.

When building of the tower was completed in 1980, it was London’s – and the UK’s – tallest building; a badge of honour it kept for ten years until it was overtaken by the One Canada Square at Canary Wharf.

PropertyWeek.com lists the other buildings up for sale as:

• 20 Old Broad Street (36,000 sq ft)
• 30 Old Broad Street (49,000 sq ft)
• the Plaza Restaurant (3,500 sq ft).
• 15 Bishopsgate (46,000 sq ft)
• the grade I-listed Gibson Hall (13,000 sq ft).

 

Crossrail fencing injures pedestrian in high winds

Fencing at a Crossrail development site in the City of London came loose in today’s high winds and struck a pedestrian.

An ambulance attended the scene of the incident outside Moor House on London Wall and treated the injured passer-by.

A spokesperson for Crossrail said:

“Due to high winds, a section of fencing surrounding the Crossrail worksite at Liverpool Street became dislodged this morning and came into contact with a passing pedestrian. Crossrail is investigating the incident.”

The fencing was later secured by the site contractor, Laing O’Rourke.

Did you see the accident occur? Did today’s extreme weather cause any other incidents?

Friday Photo: City Reflections

Whilst on a little photo walk with occasional City blogger, “Moorgate Mercurious”, he pointed out this window at the corner of Finsbury Street and Chiswell Street which offers up very nice mirror images if you stand in the right place. Here’s a couple I took…

Friday Photo: Finsbury Square

A lunch time lie down for someone in Finsbury Square last week.

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