A letter to Hofesh Shechter

Dear Hofesh,

You don’t know me. I’m a fan of yours. I’m also a theatre director. 

I think your work is quite wonderful but I want to question your use of lighting. 

Last night I attended Grand Finale. The choreography, music and staging I found rich with purpose. The skill of the dancers I find breathtaking. The balance of anger and joy moves me - as it has done in your previous work.

What I wonder is if the same amount of thought has gone into the decision process surrounding the lighting. The lighting is in a way skilful - quite spare, hardly any colour. It is almost entirely back, top and side light. Hardly any light is thrown from the vantage point of the audience. This means we aren’t allowed to see the dancers faces. There is also much use of black out - not just to change the set or tempo, but to discomfort us (I think).

The outcome of all of this is twofold. Firstly the audience cannot connect with the dancers as humans. They are shapes, we see no facial expression. Secondly the lighting makes the performance seem beautiful.

I question if this is how you intend your work to land.

Everything else about your work melds rage with skill. It is often emotionally ambiguous. Why then dress the piece so beautifully?  

I think you believe in what I might shorthand as ‘community’. On your website you describe your company as a ‘tribe’ of dancers. Why not allow the audience to see how your tribe are working? Why not  let the audience see the front of the performers and connect as fellow humans to  their rage and grace?  

Last night I remembered times when I, as a director had lit shows and made them ‘beautiful’. At that point the process presents a technological opportunity to frame what we have made and we get carried away with what is possible. This morning I watched some footage on your website of the rehearsals of Grand Finale - naturally lit, or lit quite brightly for filming, and I preferred it. 

I sat there last night wondering how the piece would have impacted on us if it had been staged in working light. I do wonder if it actually would have been more powerful.

Best wishes, and keep up the good work,

Jonathan Petherbridge.