Southern Echo – The Nuffield, Southampton

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Forgive me for banging on about how good this is…

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Is there nothing this lot can’t do with a drum? After enjoying two hours of percussive genius from Noise Ensemble, I suspect not. You may think that is overly long for a show which is simply based on banging a big instrument with a stick. But there is so much more to it than that.

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We were treated to all manner of things from drumstick throwing to seemingly flying drums and from spinning dance routines to comedy noise sketches. And the on-stage Noise TV screen was showing Drum DIY, drum survival, percussion exercise classes and the drumming world championships. The cast of 10 burst on to stage for this high-energy and incredibly loud display of drumming at its best.

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What follows is more of a theatrical experience than a musical one – with set changes every few minutes and performers who play everything from marimbas and maracas to triangles and tom-toms. It combines music, dancing, visual effects and even has a sense of humour. It made me wish I was a little better at banging things with a stick.