Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers

One of the most immediately impressive things about Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers is the instruments themselves. The largest amongst this collection of Japanese Taiko drums is probably six feet high, mounted so that the players have to extend their arms high above their heads to play it. And there's a whole battery of them. So with the inevitable anticipation that this creates, the opening piece (performed by two musicians, either side of a single drum) seems disappointing. The male-female duet is equal parts ritualistic and graceful, but prompts concerns that the show might be more a demonstration of mysterious and theatrical far-Eastern customs than an instantly rewarding performance.

Those fears are soon quelled. No sooner has that piece found resolution than the stage is flooded with six new drummers, pounding away with a blistering intensity and precision. The potency of it all soon makes you realise something: the Taiko drums on stage aren't the only instruments being pummelled here – watch out for the little drums in your ears, too. And it's not just a banquet for the ears – there's also an impressive visual component to this show. The group exploit the hypnotic symmetries in the frantic movements of the musicians, using glow-in-the-dark drumsticks, masks and ribbon dancing under UV lights to dazzling effect.

Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers' show is one of discipline, power and intensity. Exotic enough to sustain interest and set itself apart from the majority of Fringe shows, while not being so esoteric as to alienate the audience, this theatrical performance is fiercely impressive.