Review: Stomp

This past Sunday, Tim and I went to Denver to see Stomp. This is a show I have been wanting to see for years, but somehow I’ve always missed it whenever it’s come through Denver. I was thrilled, therefore, when my mom e-mailed last month to let me know that Stomp was coming to Denver and she and my dad would help us out with the cost of tickets as their Valentine’s Day present to us. (My parents are so awesome in every single way.)If you don’t know about Stomp, the show is made up of a group of percussionists who use everyday objects — brooms, trash cans, etc. — to create rhythms and sounds. As a tap dancer, this idea has always seemed cool to me. The idea of discovering new rhythms and sounds in everyday objects seemed like it had some amazing potential. One of my all-time favorite shows, Tap Dogs, does something similar and it is absolutely incredible.

Now, I knew going in that Stomp was not a tap show. (The performers did do a few tap steps, but there was no steel on the soles of their shoes and the steps were all pretty basic.) I hoped, though, that it would, in its own way, be entertaining on the same level as Tap Dogs. Unfortunately, I was in for a disappointment.

There were a few parts of the show that were really cool. When the performers integrated more than one everyday item at a time to combine sounds and rhythms, the result was good: high energy, fun, interesting. Unfortunately, these parts were few and far between.

Most of the show was focused on using only one item at a time. Which, I’m no percussionist, but isn’t using more than one instrument what makes the percussion section of an orchestra good? You don’t just have snare drums; you have snares, tympani, cymbals, xylophones. And you throw them all together to create interesting sound combinations and ultimately really good music.

When the show opened with brooms — just brooms — and continued with brooms for a really long time, I thought, Okay, guys, enough with the brooms. Let’s get on to the good stuff! But then it progressed to match boxes. Then sinks. Water jugs. Chairs. Newspapers. Garbage bags.

(Tim told me that during the show that he was imagining a conversation that would ensue if an alien were to come to this show: Alien — So, these are musical instruments that your species has invented? Tim — No, no. This is trash. Which, apparently, is what makes this good theatre.)

It was 45 minutes into the show before they got to the good stuff: Guys suspended on the set, banging on various pieces of “junk” attached to the backdrop. (Which brings up another complaint: They had this whole amazing set that held so much promise and so much potential. And they only used it for about 15 minutes of the 90-minute show. Why would they let that incredible set go to waste like that?) It was really cool, and I was relieved to finally be seeing something with high energy and entertainment value.

But after a few minutes of the “good stuff,” it was back to the boring, one-item-at-a-time business all the way up until the finale. The finale, again, was good. They incorporated lots of trash cans and bins of various sizes and materials and again took advantage of the various components of their awesome set. Again, there was more than one type of sound. Again, it was entertaining. Why couldn’t the whole show have been like this? I thought.

I walked away from Stomp — to be fair, a show that I had waited so long to see that it had probably been built up in my imagination far beyond the point where it had any hope of meeting my expectations — feeling disappointed. It left me wishing that Tap Dogs was touring here so that I could see the type of show I had been looking forward to.

Was I impressed with Stomp? Yes. I really respect the talent, the intricate rhythms, the creativity that went into making the show. But was I entertained? Not really. And therein lies the problem.

March 11, 2008 | Filed Under Tap 

comments

10 Responses to “Review: Stomp”

  1. Laurel on March 11th, 2008

    I have to admit, I have no interest in seeing Stomp because it’s too noisy!

    Excuse me while I go clean my dentures and adjust my Depends now.

  2. Gary on March 11th, 2008

    yeah, just the thought gives me a headache.

  3. Erin on March 11th, 2008

    I love that Tim was having imaginary conversations with an alien…that speaks volumes about the quality of the performance!

  4. Stephen on March 11th, 2008

    I went last year when it was at the Pikes Peak Center.

    I was similarly unimpressed, except I had the exact opposite expectations. I didn’t want to go in the first place. But S.O. at the time was gung ho.

    Too lame. Too loud. And the idiots who thought it was reel high faloootin’ cul-choor type stuff.

  5. Betty on March 12th, 2008

    Oh this is horrible!

    I have seen Stomp 4 times and loved it every time.

    Admittedly, all the shows I saw were a number of years ago and it is sad to hear perhaps it is going downhill.

    What I saw was amazing!

  6. the real real jessie but secretly kat on March 12th, 2008

    wow, that sounds like a recipe for a headache.

  7. SJ on March 12th, 2008

    Hmmm, interesting. I too had the idea that it would be thrilling and entertaining. I’m glad I’ve read your review because I’m not so sure I’d go see Stomp now. On the other hand, have you seen The Blue Man Group? They were fantastic.

  8. Lindsey on March 14th, 2008

    I’ll second what Erin said LMAO

    Sorry it was not as good as you expected. I also think it would be just very noisy and would give me a headache. Yep…dentures, depends…Laurel is right.

  9. Heather on March 20th, 2008

    So as you can see, I’m finally done with Finals as I am not commenting. So expect comments from me on every blog.
    And also-I thought the same thing when I saw stomp many moons ago. (Well, some stomp, not necessarily the same one).
    Plus–I think Tim and you have a very exciting life getting to go to shows and movie premieres. It makes you sound very fancy and very grown up! : ) Which I LOVE!

  10. Heather on March 20th, 2008

    *as I am NOW commenting*

    Great typo..

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