“STOMP” Returns With a Vibration You Can Feel: A Review
The Powerful Phenomenon Ignites the Buell Theatre With Rhythm, Humor and Human Connection
The touring production of STOMP has landed in the Mile High City. The groundbreaking percussive phenomenon will run through Nov. 22 at the Buell Theatre in Denver, inviting audiences to become immersed in a 30-year celebration of rhythm, movement and connection.
Created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas in Brighton, UK, in 1991, the show premiered in New York in 1994, quickly becoming a crowd favorite. Its iconic approach to making music with everyday objects creates a live, ever-green experience. With international tours, Olivier nominations, Emmy-winning television specials and even IMAX films, the longstanding reputation of high-energy entertainment sets a high bar.
This week in Denver, the eight-member troupe proves why STOMP has remained a global cultural force for over than three decades.
A Quiet Beginning
The show opens with a single performer sweeping the stage. It is an unassuming janitorial moment that hints at the show’s origins and sets the stage for the next 105 minutes, with a gentle reminder to silent phones.
What happens next brings the audience on a journey through an industrial work shift. The mundane becomes musical when the rhythmic brushing of the broom snaps into a beat. The audience – filled with longtime fans of the show – responds immediately with cheers of recognition, delighted to be pulled into the world built on sound, pulse and surprise.
Performers spill in from the wings, and one even sprints down the aisle to join the group. From the very beginning, the heightened energy signals that the entire theatre will be enveloped in the experience for the remainder of the evening.
A Cast That Communicates Without a Word
One of the production’s greatest strengths lies in its commitment to silent communication.
Cast members watch each other constantly; their eyes are sharp and their timing is precise. They toss brooms, clap, stomp, jump and build rhythm sequences so tight they feel impossible. Their ability to communicate with the crowd and each other using only eye contact and gestures is a remarkable reflection of the power of connection, and music as universal language.
The wordless exchange becomes part of the show’s emotional core. The audience witnesses relationships between performers represented by trust, timing and team intuition, and even gets to participate in sound-making through intense clap-backs.
Comedy and Character
STOMP has always balanced intensity with humor, and this cast delivers sharp comedic presence.
The “stooge” character warms the audience’s hearts with his eager, slightly off-beat energy and funny mishaps. Through failed attempts and exaggerated mimicry, the Mohawked man serves as an alternative guide into the rhythm-making world. The timing of his silent jokes consistently land, generating laughter that cuts through the pounding beats.
Inventiveness at Every Turn
Instead of a customary curtained stage, audiences observe a large tower made of steel during the pre-show wait. Barrels, hubcaps, street signs, pipes, scrap metal and industrial odds and ends are plastered on the tower like a looming wall of junk.
Midway through the show, the set reveals itself to be a full-scale percussion array. The cast is suspended from the top of the tower, playing at a feverish pace while the lights are lowered. The scene feels like a glimpse into life as an underground utility worker.
Another standout sequence features sinks that double as frottoirs. Unbeknownst to the audience, the sinks are filled with dishes and water, providing a potentially-moist moment for those in the front row.
In another awe-inspiring scene, the troupe lines up at centerstage with lighters in-hand. The dark and quiet theater watches intensely as they created a symphony of tiny clicks and flames.
A Booming Finale
The grand finale detonates in a frenzy of metal, choreography and explosive energy, offering a powerful display of theatrical fireworks without the pyrotechnics.
It is thunderous, exhilarating and physically overwhelming in the best possible way. By the final blackout, the audience is left roaring until the final curtain call. The likable stooge exits early, signaling that the evening has come to an end.
The Evolution Continues
From its origins at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to international tours, television specials and symphonic collaborations, STOMP continues its legacy as a crowd-pleasing musical connector. The troupe’s ability to reinvent its material while maintaining its core identity over the years is a reason to attend again and again.
Each cast member, whether returning or new, honors the show’s history and brings their own vibrant energy into its rhythm.
Though it may be best for people prone to headaches to come prepared with ear plugs, the touring production of STOMP is a treat. It’s loud, funny, surprising and engaging; but most of all, it reminds us that communication surpasses barriers and that music is a thread connecting us all.
Editor’s note: Tickets are available for purchase at www.denvercenter.org.
