JADAR

★★★★★

After a successful run at the Peacock Theatre in 2019, YAMATO return to London with their latest show. This new work marks the 30th anniversary of the company and celebrates the group’s tours and performances in around 54 different countries and regions, with over 4,500 performances that reached almost 8 million people.

Hinotori: The Wings of Phoenix, by YAMATO: The Drummers of Japan, is a show centred around a traditional drumming style in Japan called Taiko. This has been part of Japanese tradition and culture for over 2000 years, where it is believed that the drums were originally used as a communication tool or an instrument for religious rituals. However, the Taiko style that this show demonstrates is believed to resemble those in China and Korea, where it came to Japan around the 5th to 6th century and was used as a type of imperial court music.

In Japanese, “Taiko” tends to refer to any kind of drum, however, it has now become more commonly known as the performance of an ensemble of drummers. These drums have not only been previously used for religious rituals and communication but also to motivate troops in warfare and to accompany Shinto dances. An energetic style of Taiko, kumi-daiko, was formed for the sake of performance which took off in popularity and is now taught in elementary school.

Having last been to the UK in 2019, this was YAMATO’s first performance in 5 years, and it did not disappoint! On entering the auditorium, it felt like we were transported to Japan, with atmospheric music played through the sound system, setting the scene from the moment we took our seats.

Then the show commenced, with the unison being the first thing that struck me. Throughout the entirety of the performance, there was not one moment where the entire group of 10 drummers were not synchronised.

Being a hobby drummer myself, I was engrossed by the dynamic shifts used by the drummers to create flow throughout each of the individual pieces as well as creating and releasing tension and giving each individual member the opportunity to shine.

Other traditional Japanese instruments were also used throughout the performance, to add another layer. These were the Shamisen, which is an instrument with a basic form similar to that of the banjo with three strings that are plucked with a large pick called a bachi; the Koto, which is a 13-stringed instrument plucked with three finger picks; and the Chappa, which were little handheld cymbals. 

The Shamisen originated in the 16th century and became associated with folk music and narrative performances. The Koto began as an instrument of the royal court and became an instrument for everyone in the 17th century.

Throughout this performance, there were several different types of drums used, ranging from small high-pitched ones to incredibly large, low-pitched ones. One moment that stood out was the moment a drummer pulled out what looked like an elongated cricket bat to hit the largest drum they had, creating a boom that resonated throughout the theatre, leading to murmurs of awe from the audience members.

The individual pieces almost felt ritualistic which ties back nicely to the origins of this traditional style of drumming, with flowing movements used as well as chanting. It appeared almost as if it was a type of routine, which reminded me of martial arts, and the chanting almost seeming like it was a war cry, again linking back to the origins of the style.

Throughout the performance, there were little “filler” parts, mainly involving participation from the audience, which allowed for different arrangements of drums to be set up for the next “showstopper” performance. Although these were used as fillers, they were of the same standard as the showstoppers, which kept the audience just as entertained as when you had all 10 performers drumming. They also had elements of humour throughout these sections, which relieved the tension and gave the audience a break from the intensity of the other performances. My favourite part of these fillers was most definitely the “drum off” with a surprising twist!

There was no doubt from any of the audience about the energy these drummers had, with the power of their strikes resonating through the auditorium, and the melodies made with the different pitches of the drums. Their love and enthusiasm for this tradition shone through and truly engrossed the audience for the entirety of the show.

I honestly walked out of that theatre absolutely mesmerised by what I had just seen, a feeling that I have not felt since I saw Hamilton for the first time, truly highlighting the care that has gone into curating this performance, and I would highly urge everyone to see this show if they get the chance to!

YAMATO – The Drummers of Japan / Hinotori – The Wings of Phoenix runs at Sadlers’ Well’s Peacock Theatre until June 22.

Photo: Hiroshi Seo