Review - Stomp at Birmingham Hippodrome
Everything from boxes of matches to paper bags and, yes, even the kitchen sink become instruments in this international hit show which has perfected the art of percussion.
Birmingham Hippodrome
Review by Eileen Wells
Everything from boxes of matches to paper bags and, yes, even the kitchen sink become instruments in this international hit show which has perfected the art of percussion.
Without a word of dialogue or a conventional instrument, eight energetic performers instead use an array of ordinary objects to create an extraordinary sound.
Stamps, swishes, shuffles, claps and clicks are built into a complex and infectious rhythm which last night drew whistles and whoops of delight from the audience.
The show is set against a backdrop of a municipal rubbish tip and opens with workers meandering on to the stage with brooms building up a syncopated sweeping sound.
During the next 90 minutes, buckets and bins, giant rubber rings, pipes and four huge sinks strapped to performers are tapped, thwacked, tinkled and clanged to create an amazing array of sound.
The pulsating rhythms have a primitive attraction for anyone who has ever tapped out a tune on a steering wheel.
And it didn't take long for the audience to succumb to the beat and become part of the performance by clapping and stamping along.
A highlight of the show, a tightly-choreographed duel with dustbins, highlights the incredible discipline and dexterity of the performers who are also masters of visual comedy.
It's fast, fun, still feels fresh and is suitable for all ages.
Stomp runs until Saturday. www.birminghamhippodrome.com
