By Angie Johnson

Drumchasers is a fusion of everything that’s great about live performance. It has terrific music and dancing, an intriguing set and one of the best lighting designs I’ve ever seen in the theatre. Above all it has a unique idea that fascinates while it entertains. Featuring every percussion instrument you can think of, and more, this is one fabulous evening out.

The story that frames all this expertise revolves around Mr Bennett (an assured performance by Jack Warner offering plenty of comic relief), an elderly Concert Hall caretaker looking after the instrument store, which one night is magically subsumed into the percussive otherworld of the Drumchasers. Energy is the keynote of this show — powerful drumming and dance create an epic world where an eternal battle between two opposing forces is played out with a myriad of different percussion instruments. But as with all good epics, there is also a love story amid the conflict, which allows for the interweaving of sequences using more gentle sounds such as the marimba. It’s a cleverly wrought plot that enables great variation in the sound and dance sequences.

Sometimes it’s loud, stirring or martial, sometimes funny, softly romantic or sad, but it’s always well realised. Importantly, it’s a show that takes its themes seriously but never veers into the pretentious. This is helped by the whimsy-free narration provided by Stephen Fry. The cast of ten are all terrific in both the playing and dancing departments. Each of them have their own intriguing character and accomplished special sequences, and when they come together as an ensemble they are simply mind-blowing. The choreography by Georgina King works fantastically well with the overall vision of Ethan Lewis Maltby, the composer, creator and director.

There is also a bit of non-threatening audience participation (synchronised clapping!) which was great fun and made us all feel part of this truly spectacular event. If ever a show deserved a run in the West End it’s this one.