Mugenkyo Taiko Drummer Ninjas at the Edinburgh Fringe have caused a stir both onstage during the show itself – in a dramatically lit, tightly choreographed spectacle – & also through their on-street publicity stunts.
Audiences have been building steadily through the run thanks to phenomenal crowd reactions & the growing buzz on the street that something special is happening at the Assembly George Square Theatre at lunchtimes. Yesterday’s 300+ audience gave the performers yet another standing ovation, creating more converts to Mugenkyo’s modern re-interpretation of the ancient art of Taiko.
Thundering rhythms on huge taiko drums, muscular synchronisation timed to perfection, mysterious masked choreography with inventive lighting, stunning post-apocalyptic imagery and infectious belly laugh humour – all in a spellbinding display of pure energy & sheer athleticism.
Mugenkyo return to the Fringe with a brand new show, honed from years on the touring circuit. Since their last Fringe appearance, Mugenkyo have developed their unique style still further, fusing the traditional taiko spirit with a modern image and sound, with dramatic lighting, theatricality and humour, and contemporary musical sensibility, captivating audiences the world over with their energetic and dynamic performances.
Mugenkyo are Europe’s leading taiko drum group, originally established in 1994, and are at the forefront of the art-form on this continent, forging a new path with their innovative approach. They are also well-respected in the birth-place of taiko, and as part of their 2012 tour of Japan, performed at “Extasia” as the only European taiko group ever to have been invited to play at this festival for the top professional groups in the art-form.
As well as their extensive touring, Mugenkyo have just released their 4th CD “Eternal Return” and their 3rd DVD “Document Live”, making them the most artistically prolific taiko group outside of Japan. In addition to their main touring work at theatres and concert halls, Mugenkyo also perform at large-scale events and festivals at home and abroad, and have appeared on numerous television programmes such as the Brit Awards and BBC Last Night of the Proms. Mugenkyo push the boundaries of the art-form with their genre-crossing collaborations, most recently in the highly acclaimed “The World of the Gods” with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra.
In 2002 Mugenkyo established the first purpose-built centre for taiko drumming – the Mugen Taiko Dojo, where they run workshops, classes, an in-house training programme, masterclasses for taiko groups, and outreach projects for all ages throughout the UK.
Mugenkyo Website: taiko.co.uk
Venue Website: assemblyfestival.com
Twitter: @MugenkyoTaiko
Facebook: facebook.com/Mugenkyo-Taiko-
Dates: Daily from Thursday 1 August – Monday 26 August 2013 (not 12th & 19th)
Time: 12:30pm (lunchtime concert)
Venue: Assembly George Square Theatre
Tickets:
Previews 1 & 2 August £10
7-8, 13-15, 20-22, 26 August £13 (£10)
3-6, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25 August £15 (£12)
Administrator, August 19, 2013 4:09 pm - Ninjas Storm the Edinburgh Fringe
“If ever there was a musical incarnation of raw physical power, Taiko drumming has to be it. Mugenkyo have brought their energetic Taiko performance to Edinburgh, receiving whoops of joy from its audiences. Taiko drumming is as much a physical spectacle as an aural one; the drummers use calculated, disciplined movements… Your whole body begins to reverberate as the soft patter of raindrops grows into a deep rumble. Just when you think it could not get any more powerful, it doubles in intensity. This show is not one to be missed.”
5 stars Edinburgh Evening News