Imagine a bedraggled janitorial staff in a chaotic junkyard; add in some well-placed situational comedy and an endearing cast of performers and you have got the Broadway phenomenon “Stomp.”
Presented at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from March 25-27, the world-renowned hit collaborated with the majestic atmosphere of the Fox to create a high-energy, audience-interactive, close-to-perfect spectacular of music and comedy.
Before the show began, the audience was treated to a small taste of “Stomp” with a chaotically sensible set and a background of music which could best be described as a combination of tribal and urban, if the two could conceivably be joined. These pre-show happenings promised enthusiasm and excitement on stage, and the audience was not let down. The show began with the simplicity of a single performer sweeping the stage but quickly escalated to the entire crew emphatically and impressively sweeping in unison.
The eight-person cast utilized their seemingly riotous set to the fullest, using every item, from crutches to trash bins, to create a pulsing, exciting rhythm. This captivated the audience more than anything; the performers often involved the crowd in the creation of the rhythm, and the audience happily obliged in their seeming quest for approval from the performers.
Two performers inadvertently stole the show though. The man who could only be associated with the term “hipster” used his somewhat awkward stature and overly dramatic dancing to win the laughter and endorsement of the audience. The second performer that shone was the rhythmically deficient wannabe, who was continually one step late or one beat early inevitably bringing the outwardly humorous criticism of his peers. The complete lack of dialogue had the potential to detriment the show, as a whole, but the fact that the audience could connect regardless proved just how well made it was.
Audience favorites were also the riskiest acts of the performance. The most notable act suspended four of the performers by bungee cords to create a floating drum line. While this was likely the most musically stimulating act of the performance, the most visually riveting act came about at the introduction of fire. Standing in a line, arms raised, lighters were lit in melodic patterns, invoking a surprisingly tranquil atmosphere within the theater. A brief interlude from the previous dynamic acts, the lighters acted to balance the performance and fully succeeded, bringing the collective heart rate of the audience back down to its normal pace.
The only conceivable downfall of “Stomp” lies in its use of inanimate and, inasmuch, potentially fallible objects. In the opening act, alone, close to ten brooms broke in half, discreetly thrown off stage and quickly replaced. The previously mentioned lighter scene also explored the fallibility of objects, as some lighters folded under pressure, detracting from the overall aesthetics of the scene, which was the primary appeal of the act. These minor deficiencies proved insignificant in the grand scheme of the performance, though; the positive aspects clearly and unarguably won over the negatives.
All in all, by the end of the night, the hearts of the audience seemed to be beating in unison, all to the inescapable pulse of Stomp.
