Stomp Team’s Junkyard Orchestra Hits Southbank

The Lost and Found Orchestra, brainchild of Stomp creators Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, will make their London debut later this month, bringing their unique brand of “rubbish tip”-inspired music to the Royal Festival Hall from 19 December 2008 to 11 January 2009 (previews from 19 December).

Orginally created for the 2006 Brighton Festival (See News, 4 May 2006), the Lost and Found Orchestra continues the Stomp tradition of sourcing musical instruments from everyday objects, including traffic cones, hosepipes, cooking utensils and bottles. With names including ‘Bed Bass’, ‘Stringed Wok’, ‘Plumpet’ and ‘Hosaphone’, the orchestra’s instruments create a sound described in press material as “post-apocalpytic” in tone. The show emulated its Brighton success at the 2007 Sydney Festival, where it enjoyed a sell-out run at the Opera House.

The company is made up of 32 musicians, dancers and aerial artists, who will be joined on stage in London by the 40-strong Voicelab choir, assembled by Southbank Centre associate artist Mary King, a judge on recent Channel Four show Operatunity.

Creators Cresswell and McNicholas conceived Stomp in 1991, transforming the junk and clutter of urban life into a source of rhythm and dance. The show has gone on to enjoy worldwide success, premiering in the West End in 2002 at the Vaudeville theatre, before moving to its current home the Ambassadors in September last year (See News, 5 Sep 2007), where it’s currently booking until 8 February 2009.

– by Theo Bosanquet