Stomp

So last night was Stomp. What can I say? It was pretty amazing. I know it's pretty well publicized by now, but for those who don't know, the 8-member cast uses everything from push-brooms to newspapers to lighters to sinks to oil drums and trash cans to their bodies and everything else to do percussion and rhythmic performance. It's like step dancing combined with props combined with . . . I don't know, tap dance and percussion.

Some highlights:

The back ground set included ladders going up to a second level and a chain link-esque fence above that with car doors, garbage lids, and just about anything you can imagine attached to it. At one point, two (then four) performers had safety lines around their waists and were swinging and jumping all over making banging on the props. It was awesome.

They did a number with lighters were there were no lights on the stage and the rhythms were created with the sound of opening, closing, and lighting zippos. Simple but cool as little flickers of light popped up all across the stage.

At one point they had these long sticks out, like quarterstaffs, and the rhythms were created by banging them on the floor, stomping, and "fighting" with one another. It was beautiful in the same way wuxia martial arts movies are beautiful.

There were several more amazing moments than that, but those stand out in my mind. Oh, the finale was incredible: garbage cans, plastic barrels, garbage lids, and more. The performers were switching instruments with incredible speed and it was all so good!

I'm sure that doesn't really explain it. If you have a chance, though, go see it. It's like nothing you've ever really seen before. Definitely the most fun I've had in the theater since London.

Strange thing about the PSU audience: though everyone was better behaved in terms of talking during the performance than BYU audiences ever were, people were taking pictures all over the place, even after it was prohibited by the theater staff. I blame camera phones. I mean, I know it's cool, but have some manners!

I may post more about the show later today, but this is already getting long.