When the dragon swallows the sun is an installative performance built to induce a contemplative, hypnotizing and a close to trance like experience in 20 minutes. In a perhaps desorientating voyage where time and space can alter within our imagination, the relentless loops of transformation between night and day are clear elements of the piece.

How does light affect our emotions? How do we deal with interior fears? How are we accompanied by the need of rituals to survive and transform with our natural world? 

 

When a dragon swallows the sun is inspired by a tibetan tale in which a child of the mythical reign of Shambhala, decides to venture herself to the end of the world after she finds out a dragon is the cause of the darkness that had fallen upon Shambhala. She wants to convince the dragon to spit out the sun. When she finally arrives on the cliff where emptiness begins, she realises that the dragon is not real, but lives inside her, battling the sun until she liberates herself of her fears.

In another ancient chinese myth the dragon is the cause of an eclipse when he overuses its power of ruling over night and day.

 

Concept & Performance: Fhunyue Gao

Original Music: Henrry Bonnet

Light Design: Fhunyue Gao & Mirjam Berger

Assistant: Matthieu Heiniger

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Created for Incidanse Fribourg 2015, Theatro Sociale Bellinzona.

Revival/Next show: Dampfzentrale Bern, Tanzlokal 2016