REVIEW: YAMATO THE DRUMMERS OF JAPAN at Peacock Theatre until 30 May 2026

‘A joyful celebration of sound and energy’ ★★★★

It was announced loud and clear, the Yamato ensemble troupe of drummers of Japan have returned to London. They have already graced the London stages in 2019 and 2024 and have thrilled the audience to an exhilarating experience. “Hito no Chikara” The Power of Human Strength is a brand new show presented to an avid London audience, some who may be quite familiar with the highly explosive drum beats and passionate performance of the artists. This time, the fusion of technology with natural stage and lighting designs serve to create immersive theatrical atmospheres that are both raw and controlled. This collaboration blends the qualities of innovation and advanced intelligent lighting tools with the natural aesthetics associated with East Asian culture. The stage, for a start, was overlooked by a grand impressive light fabric curtain backdrop onto which the digital image of the ‘Mitsudomoe’ symbol was projected. The traditional, three-comma shaped symbol represents the Shinto religion and the three-fold harmony of humans, earth and sky.

Which underlines the very essence the performers aspire to attain to, with each strike of the Taiko drum: the harmonious existence of human beings with earth and the heavens. It was no denying that the energy and unshakable spirit of the Yamato’s drummers reigned supreme on that opening press night. They drummed with fierce power, they danced to breathtaking choreography, they roared like lions, they performed in calm gentle movements, they drummed with other musicians playing the flute and the shamisens, they increased the tempo of the drum beats, they paced themselves in tune with other artists, they moved and circled around amongst each other, drums attached to their body and yet the sound of the drum beats resonates and reverberates across the auditorium, continuing the rhythmic cadence without flaw.

Some sounds produced by smaller drums were high pitched, some sounds produced from heavier drums deeply resonated through the body. Huge drums were crafted from a single piece of tree trunk, and the most impressive one was the odaiko drum with dimensions of two metres wide, and crafted from a 400-year old tree.

The audience was delighted with a drum off session between two drummers, similar to a dance off challenge. Several Japanese drums of various shapes, known as the wadaiko, were brought on stage, from the small to the heavy drums that needed several man power to be wheeled onto the centre stage. Later, the performers broke the fourth wall, attempting to have conversations in English with the London audience. There was some humour introduced with the performance, and the invitation to audience interaction, very Panto-esque like, seemed to please many, as the crowd joined in, clapping hands and raising arms. Pure shared moments of joy. A celebration of sound and energy.

Hito no Chikara vision is to be more than a performance. It encourages us to feel the heart beat of humanity, to experience the power of human strength, to live in harmony. To what extent they can achieve this noble vision within their production run from 12 to 30 May 2026, is yet to be known. Yet, through the artform of the Taiko drumming, a centuries-old tradition in Japanese culture, the drummers of Yamato originating from the Nara prefecture in Japan, continue to push themselves to new heights, or rather decibels, exploring new avenues and atmospheric spheres and in the process, challenging the boundaries of what it can be. 

Review by Melanie Lam

YAMATO The Drummers of Japan

“Hito no Chikara” The Power of Human Strength

Created by The Yamato Drummers

Composer and Artistic Director: Masa Ogawa

Costume and Designs by Akiko Ogawa

Venue: Peacock Theatre 12 – 30 May 2026

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