Internationally acclaimed show ‘Pandemonium’, an orchestra with everyday objects, to be performed in Royce Hall
The show “Pandemonium,” from the creators of the international smash hit “Stomp,” will be playing in Royce Hall tonight through Nov. 18. Musicians use everyday items as musical instruments to create a full-stage orchestra.
courtesy of STEVE MCNICHOLAS
PANDEMONIUM
Tonight and Nov. 17, 8 p.m.
Nov. 18, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Royce Hall, $20-$60
By Vikram Iyer
Nov. 16, 2010 2:17 a.m.
An assortment of sounds fills a hall full of viewers, some sounds whispering sweet melodies, others bellowing. The audience has just experienced the paradox that is “Pandemonium.”
The creators of “Stomp” will present the unconventional performance tonight in Royce Hall, with performances running through Nov. 18.
“”˜Stomp’ was making rhythm with everyday objects. Our goal for “˜Pandemonium’ was to take that rhythm and add a melody with saws and (other unconventional instruments),” said Luke Cresswell, creator and director of “Pandemonium.”
Cresswell left school in Brighton, England, at the age of 15 and performed through Europe as a drummer and street performer. After working with various bands, he entered theater where he eventually created the musical theater performance, “Stomp.”
Since gaining global recognition through “Stomp,” Cresswell spent the last five years creating the music and instruments for his current project, “Pandemonium.”
“All the instruments (for “˜Pandemonium’) are made from various things. Whether it’s a piece of drain pipe with a diaphragm on top, or making huge bellows to pump air through big pipes … the whole thing is sort of mad,” Cresswell said.
According to Cresswell, the theme of the performance is to build upon the same concept featured in “Stomp,” using rhythm, and now melodies, as a language.
“”˜Pandemonium’ has replicated an orchestra with instruments designed from everyday objects to simulate similar sounds,” said Aldo Scrofani, producer of “Pandemonium.” However, this performance is far from a conventional chamber orchestra.
“When most people see classical music they know how a violin sounds like, so it becomes how the conductor takes those sounds and uses them to create emotions. … “˜Pandemonium’ is taking cut-down whirly tubes that we rotate to create chords, and that sound layered upon a load of saws and that sound layered upon the big bellows and the little bottles will make sounds you won’t have heard before,” Cresswell said.
Scrofani, who has been with “Pandemonium” from the beginning, said that he has seen the show evolve since its beginnings at the United Kingdom’s Brighton Festival.
“While the music is the main part of the show, there (are) mass amounts of humor, intelligence, wit and character development.
… The combination becomes a jaw dropping event. You’ll sit there and not believe what you’re seeing. Halfway through you’re standing up, clapping, whistling, applauding,” Scrofani said.
While “Stomp” was primarily an eight-person set on stage.
“Pandemonium” relies on the joint efforts of 26 individuals on stage alongside UCLA’s choir. The show is designed to use campanology with music and work with numbers.
“If you have a saxophone, you have one person playing all the notes with his fingers. Because the instruments we use only have one note, you need 20 people to play each note,” Cresswell said.
Performer Simone Clarke is trained in piano, saxophone and dance; however, she said these conventional performance skills weren’t entirely applicable to her performance in “Pandemonium,” which is devoid of traditional instruments.
“It combined everything I’ve ever been trained for. I am a musician and I have to move. Working those together makes it the perfect show for me. It’s what I was born to do,” Clarke said.
According to Clarke, nothing is stationary. All actions on stage rely upon movements to create sounds.
“It’s a process where even playing musical instruments becomes a sort of dance. With this, I am allowed to move and be more creative,” Clarke said.
According to Cresswell, “Pandemonium” will incorporate sounds audiences have yet to hear, in the same way a guitarist distorts a guitar to create an original sound.
“First you go, “˜Wow they’re making that sound,’ but then you go, “˜Bloody hell, that sounds really nice,’ so it’s something you won’t have heard before, something you won’t have seen before,” Cresswell said.
The multilayered elements of the show also allow for varied experiences.
“”˜Pandemonium’ creates an almost visceral reaction. … Every time you come back, you’ll experience something new. It’s a show that you’ve never seen before and won’t again,” Scrofani said.
