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Theatre Review: Stomp ’13

By Rod Lewis

Posted on August 28, 2013

Presented by Lunchbox Theatricals
Reviewed Tuesday 27 August 2013

Finding more ‘bang’ for your buck would be a hard task after the premiere of Stomp ’13 at Her Majesty’s Theatre. It’s a long overdue return to Australia for this company that has been entertaining around the world since they first debuted in Edinburgh as Bins in 1983.

Hailing from the UK, this troupe of percussionists use the ordinary for the extraordinary with every movement and beat choreographed against a grungy two story backdrop from which they climb, hang and pound.

Percussion isn’t just about noise though. Under the direction of Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, it’s also about rhythm and sound, and Stomp build to a cacophonous finale beating their signature tin rubbish bins. Before then however, the soundscapes and movement create an inventive and highly entertaining 100-minute showcase of musical brilliance.

Opening with a soft broom shuffle, the troupe of eight turn everyday items into instruments, from match boxes to zippo lighters; tyre tubes to corrugated piping; water to sand… in fact everything including the kitchen sink. Their own bodies become instruments too, and amusing attempts to get the audience to the clap rhythms shows just how complex their seemingly-simple routines are.

The troupe don’t speak during the show other than to occasionally use their voices as instruments but they do communicate with looks, gestures, pauses and some distinguishable characters including a pitiful clown and the troupe leader.

There is a surprising abundance of comedy to be had from both the gadgetry they play and the antics they perform, and there’s an equal abundance of applause and laughter from the opening set to the standing ovation at the end.

Reviewed by Rod Lewis