It’s been said that the bedrock of theatrical expression is the movement of bodies in space. 

As such, the nature of these bodies is obviously an integral part of the equation. And the corporeal dramaturgy of Sumo — now at The Public Theater — is steeped in the particularities of the sumo physique. 

Scantily-clad thespians traipsing across stages are a dime a dozen, but their customary body types are a far cry from sumo. This new play implicitly asks the audience to watch how bodies rarely seen in art move through the world, and how their contours inform the daily and existential dramas of their lives. We observe them conduct ordinary conversations…basically baring it all. On a moment-to-moment basis, this sight provides a different visual experience than what we’re used to. 

Sumo also includes a monologue about the importance of the sumo frame to the meaning of the sport; compare it to the look of the bodies that most art revels in, and maybe it shows what we value, relative to the past.  

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Sumo technically starts minutes before the lights come up. 

If theatrical storytelling is defined by the movement of bodies in space, then Sumo officially begins when a stagehand walks on to sweep the stage immediately prior to the pre-show announcement…

…which seems relevant in a play that includes multiple conversations about the meaningful importance of who in the “social hierarchy” sweeps a workplace.