October 1, 2012
With the fairly recent craze of street dance groups, the performance tonight proved that Stomp is clearly a pioneer act. The show itself has been running for over 20 years, and it isn’t surprising when you see how fresh and engaging a spectacle it still is.
The performance was varied, exciting, and never predictable. Just when you think the instruments cannot get any more outlandish, out come a parade of giant, inflatable, rubber rings swinging from the waists of the dancers, who pummel them with sticks. Another highlight was a ‘trolley song’, (although not the Judy Garland variety) where the performers played out a beat with trolleys whilst simultaneously gliding across the stage in a sort of supermarket ballet.
The dances shifted from intense and tribal-esque, with long intimidating shadows dancing across the walls, to intimate and silly, where you almost don’t want to applaud in case you interrupt the beat. There was a good amount of humour, which was unexpected. The comedy was well spread out during the performance and definitely added to it. Even clearing the stage between dances was done in a rhythmic and often comical fashion, so there was never a dull moment.The performers themselves had real personality and were impeccably disciplined throughout. They were also incredibly versatile; one minute they’d be menacingly stamping their feet like wrestlers, the next they’re smacking sticks like deranged, urban Morris Men.
The music was infectious, a real treat for the ears, and I was desperate to join in all the way through; my feet were tapping maniacally and it was all I could do not to start rhythmically drumming the head of the bald gentleman sat directly in front of me. So it was definitely a relief when the audience were invited to join in clapping, clicking and stamping for the encore. Everyone in the audience clearly enjoyed themselves; it would be very difficult not to.