Durham Fringe Festival 2026

Jack Drum Ukulele Ensemble

jack drum ukulele ensemble

Genre: Music

Venue: Durham Fringe Stretch Tent

Festival: Durham Fringe Festival

Low Down

Review

The Jack Drum Ukulele Ensemble is a community music group run by Jack Drum Arts, a charity and community arts organisation based in Crook, County Durham, England. In a thoroughly enjoyable hour of ukulele music, the show had the more than satisfied audience clapping.

The ukulele has become an instrument that’s easy for many people to learn and has empowered people all over the world to get together and make music that also creates and builds togetherness. This is a large group onstage, at ease with each other. The sound is satisfying because the sheer numbers that make up the group provides a bit of a visual and audio spectacle. Part of the energy comes from that but it does require tight playing. An ensemble needs to be tightly coordinated and this was consistent throughout the show. The strumming must form that closely knit underpinning and the Jack Drum Ukulele Ensemble achieves this. The enjoyment is palpable. Perhaps even more bold and ambitious choice of music can add further flavour and spice to the proceedings.

In a varied set, interest is held, songs well introduced and there’s a chance for the singers in the group to share their talents. It’s a family friendly show, perfect for a warm afternoon, and the group were enjoying themselves as much as the audience. There is scope for a little tighter singing but the overall standard is very high.

The repertoire ranges the decades. Personal favourites included Brown-eyed Girl and one from Coldplay. It’s a well chosen set for variety and a bold nod towards ukulele being able to take more recent modern music.

Overall this was an accomplished hour of ukulele, singing, and a music hour beefed by with bass guitar support. Thoroughly enjoyable as a fringe show.

Published August 1, 2026 by Paul Levy