STOMPed

I had an idea of what I was in for when I went to STOMP's performance on the 22nd. A few days before the show, I heard the ensemble grace "The Morning Rush" radio show (RX 93.1) and make music using matchboxes. The performance was nothing short of AMAZING!

Watching the group perform on stage at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, though, was a whole lot better than just listening to the group on radio. A lot of Filipinos who have seen its shows described STOMP's act as "astig". Truly, it was.

The cast tapped danced and used everyday things -- yes, including the kitchen sink -- to make music. While watching the cast, I remembered steel drum bands from 1980s children's shows. The opening scene made such an ordinary activity as sweeping the floor sound nice (forgive the pun). Even crumpling newspaper was made melodious!

An hour and forty minutes of percussion music could seem very long and monotonous if it weren't for the accompanying visual comedy. It's almost slapstick; but in a show that didn't require the audience to dig deeply into their emotional and mental baggage, the comic scenes fit right in.

The jewel upon STOMP's performance was its interaction with the audience. People were clapping their hands, tapping their legs,  snapping their fingers while being conducted by one of the cast members.

As the gushing audience filed out of the theater, I thought: We've been STOMPed.