Reviewed by Katherine Karlson
A dusty, deserted street in the Australian outback seems an unlikely venue for an exuberant celebration of youth and life, but Sunset Mirage is just that through a thoughtful dance mash-up by Binghamton University director David Wynen and assistant choreographer Neva Kenny. Their ensemble taps, twists and tangos its way through a variety of individual story lines that underscores the message that joy will be unconfined, regardless of place and circumstance.
Based on an actual once-a-year street party, the individual dance numbers are united in their narrative: A town’s young people gather to flirt and fight and generally have a rollicking good time before sunrise.
Set designer Laura Fine Hawkes has created a simple yet poignant space for the performers. A lone streetlamp evokes a full moon that both reveals and hides the emotions on display. The broken windows of the empty garage and its forlorn aspect serve to heighten the contrast between the setting and the lively antics of the partygoers.
The age-old dance of attraction, lust and love quickly becomes evident as the young people gather. There are bold swaggers and moves reminiscent of bullfighters facing their adversaries, especially in the dance of two men who use capes as dramatically as a male peacock does its tail of brilliant feathers.
A variety of dance styles are on display, but they are seamlessly blended, and each one moves the plot forward. A classic pas de deux echoes the raw physical attraction between two male dancers who seduce each other only to part in a lover’s quarrel in one of the most satisfying performances of the evening.
No party is complete without a shot or two of silliness, and two female dancers, one of whom does an excellent riff on Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray, provide just the right touch of sexy slapstick. They furnish this ’60s throwback party with the sly, suggestive games of “Twister” and “pass the orange.” The former provides the entire cast with the opportunity to show how to pulse and move as a single unit.
Mystery makes a cameo appearance when a sly thief steals from drowsy girls but finds more than he bargained for in the sinister contents of a purloined suitcase.
While each story told in dance has its own distinct flavor, the use of Hispanic- or Latinx-themed music, whether the flamenco guitar of Paco de Lucia or Bizet’s Carmen set to a boogie beat, unifies and spices the whole.
The final number, “Dance with me,” reminds the audience what the night-long party was about: “Dance with me/You will be mine.” As the sun rises, the 17 dancers depart until next year’s party with memories of loves won and lost. They have made the most of their night of joyful celebration, and so did Friday’s opening night (March 4) audience.
IF YOU GO: Sunset Mirage, which runs approximately 45 minutes without an intermission, will be performed at 8 p.m. today (March 5) and at 2 p.m. Sunday (March 6) in the Watters Theater of Binghamton University’s Fine Arts Building. Tickets range in price from $10 to $20. Buy tickets online on the Binghamton University Department of Theatre’s webpage, by phone (607-777-2787) or at the Anderson Center’s box office.
