Audience have previously hailed the show as “excellent, engaging and amusing”, and O&O are bringing the production to Swindon’s Shoebox Theatre October 27.
Imagine you have a birthmark on your face. You’ve had it all your life. You’ve had to put up with people staring, pointing and asking questions. Sometimes it makes you feel like a monster. Sometimes it makes you feel beautiful. But now you are finally on your way to accepting it. And you want to talk about it.
Funny and bold, The Way I Look tells their stories and their struggle to define themselves beyond their parents’ love and concern. We see the experiences that carve their journey to finding their place in the world. Energetic, evocative and uncompromisingly honest, The Way I Look is a story for anyone who has ever felt different.
O&O are a physical theatre ensemble who’s ethos is one of collaboration, empowerment, and engagement – of that pressing human urge to strive for improvement. Promising to be provocative, vigorously physical and highly entertaining, The Way I Look is crafted from the written testimonials of people who live with facial differences. The show aims to draw attention to their experiences, to challenge people’s natural thought processes and to encourage a conversation about how to approach the subject with kindness and consideration.
The ensemble are honoured to have the wonderful Let’s Face It on board; a support network for survivors and patients of facial cancer and other facial injuries who are advocates for the project. Also supporting are Changing Faces, a charity that campaigns for facial equality and the Centre For Appearance Research acting as advisors during the devising process.
Core members Marina O’Shea and Tessa (O’) Gaukroger are two performers best known for their previous work as O&O Comedy Duo. Together they’ve created four original shows, Out of Season (2013), A Comedy of Careers (2014), We’re Dead Serious (2015) and The Good Stuff (2016), and have toured them extensively around the UK for the last four years. They were finalists for Best New Act at Bath Comedy Festival 2015, nominated for Best New Act at London Sketchfest 2015 and received the Spirit of The Fringe Award at Bedfringe 2016. They’ve appeared on TV, BBC Radio and their comedy short film series has been screened at international film festivals.
O&O are excited to be collaborating with Igne Barkauskaite who will be directing The Way I Look on it’s first tour. Igne trained at L’Ecole Internationale de Theatre Jacques Lecoq (2011 – 2013) and also holds a BA in Drama at UWE (2008-2011).
Whilst in Paris, Igne has also had an opportunity to train with Peter Brook (International Centre for Theatre Research) and Nina Dipla (Tanztheatre Wuppertal – Pina Bausch). As a performer and theatre maker Igne has also collaborated with The Missing Pieces (Hamilton House), The Edible Theatre (Bristol Old Vic), The Mechanical Animal Coorporation (The Paintworks, Bristol Old Vic, Edinburgh Fringe), Panevezio Dramos Teatras (Lithuania) and others.
For further information, and to purchase tickets, click here.
