Saturday, August 20, 2011

Review of Stomp

Yesterday (written just after the show but not published until several days after) I journeyed through the rain to find a small theatre in a London alleyway. The Ambassador's Theatre proved to be a little hard to find and after being five minutes late for the show I had to wait in the foyer.

Since the show was not sold out my row R ticket was easily moved up to a row B one. I was quite pleased, as I got a much more interesting and interactive seat as opposed to my far away one. One of the cast members even called me out by asking "you alright?" the common British "how are you?" when I sat down. I settled in for a experience that I had been hoping to have for years.

The show was explosive and lyrical at the same time. Stomp is all about finding beats in everyday items. A real drum was never used at all.

The eight cast members used plastic and metal trashcans, rubber tubing, brooms, newspapers, matchstick boxes, and even lighters to make intricate beats and rhythms.

The show incorporated lots of humor as the cast members interacted.  There was no talking just body language mostly. The cast was eclectic and interesting each with their own unspoken personality. There were two women and six men. Each toned and strong for all the drumming that was to take place.

Stomp was exciting and interactive. Lots of audience participation was encouraged. At times I was in awe of the physical ability and coordination of the performers. It was an hour and 40 minutes of stomping beats and relaxed rhythms that can impress and excite almost anyone. It can teach you the power of everyday objects to make music and that the whole world can be a stage. After this experience it is easy to walk the streets and take notice of its sounds and rhythms.

To read a little more about Stomp and watch videos of parts of the performance follow this link here.