Marimba Mirage: Sounds in Motion, Edinburgh Fringe music review - 'has us hanging on his every note'

Marimba Mirage – Sounds in Motion ★★★★☆

Braw Venues @ Hill Street (Venue 41), until 24 August

There is a very deliberate reason Swiss percussionist Manuel Leuenberger subtitled his show Sounds in Motion. For although, like most musicians, he stands behind his instrument rather than moving around the stage, the marimba is no small piece of kit. So to play even the simplest of tunes, his body is always in motion, moving swiftly up and down the wooden bars. Not that there’s anything simple in Leuenberger’s repertoire, a mix of fiendishly tricky and fast-paced pieces. So much thought has gone into this magical hour, however, that music is only part of its charm.

Chatting amiably with the crowd, Leuenberger is the consummate showman. Each time he reaches for a new set of mallets, there’s a brief story to impart linked to the piece he’s about to play. Even the mallets are a gift in themselves, lighting up when the room is plunged into darkness. Leuenberger moves with such dexterity and speed, the small illuminated balls look like caterpillars floating through the air. Whether it’s a work by Evelyn Glennie set to soft candlelight, Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag, or a self-penned composition, this talented performer has us hanging on his every note.

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