COMBINING athletic and electrifying drumming, exquisite musicianship, stunning visuals and pure theatre, Kodo – the legendary taiko drumming ensemble – returns to the UK for the first time since 2010 with their most ambitious production yet: Kodo One Earth Tour 2014: Legend.
Hailing from the remote Japanese Sado Island, Kodo is the first and most influential taiko ensemble in the world, comprising a 26-strong troupe of musicians and dancers who transform centuries-old traditional Japanese ritual and performing arts into exhilarating, contemporary stage shows.
Since its foundation in 1981, Kodo has given nearly 4,000 performances across all five continents, from war-torn Croatia to Carnegie Hall and from the Nobel Peace Prize to the Football World Cup.
Their unique re-imagining of ancient instruments, traditional music and dance has inspired the likes of Stomp and Cirque du Soleil.
Dorset audiences have the chance to experience the immense power and sheer spectacle of the Kodo phenomenon when they come to Lighthouse in Poole on February 15.
This UK tour is the group’s first with new artistic director, Japanese icon Tamasaburo Bando, an actor and film-maker, world-renowned for his roles in kabuki theatre, the traditional classical Japanese dance-drama.
Tamasaburo has instigated a bold new direction for Kodo: combining the visceral intensity and athleticism of their stunning productions with the controlled, nuanced performances of kabuki.
They both draw on the deep well of traditional Japanese culture, rooted in a long lineage and sense of place (from rituals of harvest celebrations and demon dances to refined theatres and the most delicate of hand motions), combined with absolute discipline and mastery of their art.
Kodo ensemble leader, Tomohiro Mitome, said: “We have enriched our performances with artistic expressions previously unseen on the Kodo stage, incorporating new costumes and Western instruments.”
The Lighthouse performance is at 7.30pm on February 15 and tickets are available from 0844 406 8666 and lighthousepoole.co.uk
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