Don't leave it till Thursday or Friday to see the fanatical drummers from the U Theatre of Taiwan. By the end of the week they will either be completely exhausted or they will have destroyed their instruments with their exertions.
Sounds of the Ocean
U Theatre
Aotea Centre
Until March 18th
Don’t leave it till Thursday or Friday to see the fanatical drummers from the U Theatre of Taiwan. By the end of the week they will either be completely exhausted or they will have destroyed their instruments with their exertions.
The dozen drummers are an astounding example of a totally focused, highly skilled and passionate troupe of performers who produce an amazing concert that brings together dance, singing, martial arts and powerful displays of drumming
In most cultures the drum is central to all sorts of events from the folk dance to the religious festival and the military maneuver.
The intense rhythms can inspire the soldier, induce sates of ecstasy in the devotee and general exuberance in the dancer.
U Theatre manages to combine all these aspects and a few others as they explore all the expressive qualities of drums, cymbals and a few other instruments which they hit.
In the last few decades, a number of traditional performances have taken on a contemporary approach, attempting to link and update the original ideas and concepts. This is most obvious in the way that kapa haka has evolved into new forms of presentation.
U Theatre has done the same with Chinese drumming, adding the drama and energy of the Western style performance to the spiritual dimension and precision of the original works.
The concert is called “Sounds of the Ocean” and the company uses their instruments to capture all the aspects of water; from the raindrop, the tinkling stream to the tsunami, water in all its gentle, impressive and terrifying forms.
Their music has connections with other cultures; there are sounds of Africa, India, and the Pacific throughout the performance. The final section which has some singing is also reminiscent of Maori waiata. There are also sections where the music seems to borrow heavily from minimalist Western music.
Some of the players have been elevated close to the status of rock stars, their solo performances are displays of musicianship, athleticism and showmanship.
