YAMATO: The Wings of Phoenix at Peacock Theatre

For the first time in five years, Yamato brings their taiko performance to London’s Peacock Theatre. When the show starts and the group starts banging their drums, this reviewer thinks to herself: “So, is it just two hours of drums?”.

There are a lot of drums, but there’s no “just” about it. Yamato incorporates physical theatre, comedy, dance, audience participation and raw energy with all different types of taiko (Japanese for drums) ranging from tiny clackers to Odaiko, the group’s biggest drum weighing 500kg and originating from a 400-year-old tree. There are gong-like drums, there are small tinny sounding drums, there are drums that you lift with one hand and drums which have to be breathlessly pushed across the stage. Often a forgotten, background instrument, Yamato shows that drums can take up space and be the star of the show.

Lighting and carefully chosen props set the atmosphere in tonight’s performance. The first half of Wings of Phoenix is performed in a bluebonnet theme, which comes from the stage lighting and the uniform blue open-printed jackets worn by the performers. Japanese lanterns line the stage, with a backdrop filled with bamboo trees and other iconic Japanese visuals.  At one point, traditional-style panels fly down from the sky. The first half of the peformance makes one feel nostalgic for Japan – whether you’ve visited the country or not.

Traditional instruments like shamisen and shakuhachi are used to create an old-school, spiritual sound that serves as a duet with the powerful, energetic beat of the taiko. The first act brings a feeling of reminiscing, which is encapsulated in one part where the performers sing a haunting call to Nihon (Japan). The stage is transformed during the second half, with the dark blue hues replaced by high-spirited fiery reds to reflect the “rebirth” part of the phoenix’s journey. The performers are now dressed in orange, blacks and reds, a sun-like chi gong hangs in the back, and the energy ramps up.

The performers create a fun rapport with the audience, at one point teaching them a rhythmic clap which segues into a “drum off”, with the performers dragging bigger and bigger drums onto the stage to outdo each other, much to the audience’s amusement. During another scene, an idyllic countryside backdrop, complete with subtle psychedelic faces, falls from the ceiling to set the stage. Three of the performers send the beat of a drum to each other, treating it like a physical object and keeping perfect time to create a skit show-style piece of performance art. They jump to catch the beat, hit each other in the face with it, or hog the beat and refuse to pass it on.

Taiko is a physically demanding performance style, and the group performs with their whole bodies. They jump around with the drums, they run, they lift, they sit in saddle pose while beating their taikos, and throughout you can see the raw emotions on their faces. The Yamato drummers put their all into the show, and they seem elated, like they’ve created an energy feedback loop with the drums and the audience so the harder they go the more energised they become. The Wings of Phoenix is an impressive, joyful and unique show that will leave you dazzled.

Sophia Moss
Images: Jan de Wild/genta Ogowa/Hiroshi Seo

YAMATO: The Wings of Phoenix is at Peacock Theatre from 11^th until 22^nd June 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for YAMATO: The Wings of Phoenix here: