Sun is one of those performances that confront reviewers with the eternal dilemma of whether or not it is appropriate to give things away. Yet a reference to what is a powerful coup de théâtre — namely a life-sized hanged hooded man falling from the rigs at the end — has to be made to appreciate what it is all about. The problem is that, according to some reports, that same coup de théâtre disappeared the night after Sun opened, thus turning the dance into something completely different from what had been previously seen.
Hofesh Shechter, one of today’s most provocative and innovative dance- and performance-makers, likes to surprise, often in an unsettling way. As soon as the lights go down at the start, his voice invites viewers to take a peep at the ending of the work, to reassure them that, grim as things might look, there is a happy ending after all — and the sun is always shining, as one would say.
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