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BY BILLY SUTER
JOHANNESBURG and Cape Town seasons have been finalised for the hugely entertaining international show, Stomp, which takes rhythm and ingenuity to new heights. It was last staged in this country nine years ago.
A hit from London to Paris to Las Vegas and New York, Stomp makes music with brooms, matchboxes, hands and feet, poles, chairs, sinks, basketballs, newspapers and more. It climaxes with the exhilarating trademark bins routine, where metal trashcans become drums and dustbin lids become combat shields. The encore engages the audience in a call and response that proves rhythm is a universal language.
The production opens at Montecasino’s Teatro on Tuesday, August 13, for a four-week season ending on Sunday, September 8. Thereafter, Stomp moves to Cape Town’s Artscape theatre, running from September 9 to 22.
Tickets for Stomp, which is being brought to South Africa by Showtime Management in association with BBC First, is at Computicket. Ticket prcies vary from R150 to R400.
“Stomp finds beauty and music in the mundane. It turns brooms into instruments and handclapping into a conversation; the junk and clutter of urban life becomes the source of infectious rhythm and wonder,” says a show spokesman.
“The highly talented performers take the audience on a journey through sound, where rhythm is the only language.”
The show highlights the infectious rhythms of eight brilliantly synchronised performers who beat truck inner-tubes, rubber hosing, Zippo lighters, plastic bags, metal dustbins, bin lids, tubs, water butts and, yes, even the kitchen sink! And then there are the brooms that are turned into soft -shoe partners.
A unique combination of percussion, dance and physical comedy, the show has been seen by more than 12 million people worldwide, and there have been long-running productions in major cities globally, with the flagship New York show still running, and now celebrating its 25th year.
There are up to four Stomp productions around the globe at any given time. The show has been touring the globe for 26 years, playing over 20 000 performances in 55 countries on 6 continents. Stomp also ran in London’s West End for 15 years.
Created in Brighton, UK, in the summer of 1991, the show was the result of a 10-year collaboration between its creators, Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas.
The popularity of the show continually grew from strength to strength, resulting in the cast performing live at the 1996 Academy Awards to an estimated audience of almost 1 billion worldwide.
The largest assembly of Stomp performers ever (40 performers from 12 countries) was brought together for a specially choreographed appearance at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The show first toured South Africa in 2010 to critical acclaim and sold-out performances.
“The sizzling energy of Stomp is beyond infectious” says Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management, the show’s local promoter. “Almost a decade later we welcome Stomp back this country to share its unique and energetic art form while introducing it to a new generation of theatre-goers.”
.....SoSuterBill..... 