African Drum Theatre

Drumstruck is the first interactive drum-theatre experience with a drum on every seat so that the audience becomes part of the show.

Drumstruck presents exhilarating traditional African beats, a
multi-talented world-class cast and uncontainable, explosive energy! It has been hailed “STOMP meets The Lion King” by critics at the Edinburgh Fringe.

The show creates a sense of Africa that is undeniably genuine and heartfelt. South African music and culture play a significant part in the show and are interwoven with West African rhythms to give it a truly unique flavour and sound.

It takes its audiences on a journey through South Africa through drums, gumboot dancing, Zulu dancing and song. Each audience member is provided with their own djembe and gets to play and sing along with the show, representing the sharing of music present in African music.

Drumstruck began in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002 as the interactive theatrical extension of Drum Cafe, an initiative created to builds teamwork and brings people together through the power of drumming and connecting through music. Drum Cafe was instrumental in bringing people of different races together post Apartheid.

Drumstruck stars some of the top percussionists in the world including the top female drummers in South Africa/ the world.

One of the Drumstruck performers, Tiny Modise, was nominated as the top dancer in a talkshow dance off against stars like John Trivolta, Ashton Kutcher and Richard Gere.

Drumstruck is the first authentic African interactive drum and dance experience where everyone gets a drum (a 16’’ djembe) to play along with the cast during the show -- a drum on every seat!

Drumstruck has been performed around the world (Asia, Africa, Australia, North America and the U.K.) and for ten consecutive yearly tours in Japan (2007-2017), making the group the first international company to do so.

Drumstruck has performed at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 World Cup soccer in South Africa, two of the largest shows on earth with billions of viewers.

Drumstruck has performed with top music acts like 30 Seconds to Mars and Jared Leto.

Drumstruck have shared a stage with numerous pop stars and bands including: Shakira, will.i.am, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Alicia Keys and Linkin Park, Will Smith, Amy Winehouse, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox and K'naan.

We have played for presidents including Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Tony Blair and Prince Charles and celebrities like Richard Branson, Nicole Kidman and Karl Lagerfeld.

Drumstuck’s first USA tour was in 2019 with a hugely successful 5 week run at Dollywood Theme Park where more than 75,000 fans experienced the global sensation (that’s over 150,000 hands on our drums!)

Drumstruck performed on Off-Broadway for 18 months in 2005-2006 at New World Stages (then called Dodger Stages) to consistently packed houses and rave reviews. Drumstruck was one of the longest running Off-Broadway shows at that time.

The Drumstruck cast performed alongside Dolly Parton who declared “I’m dumbstruck for Drumstruck!” and were featured with Ms. Parton in US Weekly Magazine as well as in local, national and international press -- print, online and TV.

Drum Cafe Japan and Drumstruck have performed over 300 charity events for the survivors of the tsunami in Japan.