BOLLYWOOD STEPS INTO BIRMINGHAM

12-10-2009

There are some weekends when Birmingham punches its weight as the capital city of a vibrant region. This was one of them.

On Friday and Saturday, more than 10,000 people enjoyed three terrific open air performances of specially commissioned dance piece called Bollywood Steps, marking the 175th anniversary of the Town Hall.

Birmingham born choreographer Simmi Gupta fashioned a lively 50 minute interpretation of the archetypal Bollywood movie, supplemented with dhol drummers and special effects in the form of shower sprays that left the dancers drenched.

Those of us who saw it during daylight missed the full effect of the dazzling “Light Night” effects and Saturday evening’s fireworks – but by way of compensation, there was bonus of “people watching” as the huge queue for the recently discovered Saxon hoard shuffled behind the Museum and Art Gallery.

This is an attraction the city has exploited to maximum effect, drawing thousands of extra visitors to the city centre.

A lively weekend was rounded off by the World Half Marathon, which even without Paula Ratcliffe gave pleasure to thousands of recreational runners across the region – and gave many more the pleasure of cheering them on.

No doubt there will be grumbles about the extent of the road closures, but this was a wonderful community event that lifted an otherwise humdrum autumn Sunday.

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