Saving Face

Si Rawlinson

23 - 24 June

From British Chinese choreographer and theatre maker Si Rawlinson comes Saving Face, a comedy, word, and dance show about four office colleagues hiding in plain sight, discovering what happens when buried things come up for air. Invisible illness and private struggle might make you relatable, but maybe just do your job, ok?

Saving Face is performed by dancers Yukiko Masui, Jamaal O’Driscoll, Lisa Chearles and Rawlinson himself. The show uses interdisciplinary theatre to push the boundaries of storytelling, mixing hip hop and contemporary dance, dialogue and physical theatre, finding humour and comfort in the things that make us human.

Age guidance 12+ This performance contains moderate adult themes of illness and relationships.
Running time 67mins (no interval)

Cast & Creatives

Director: Si Rawlinson

Performers: Si Rawlinson, Yukiko Masui, Jamaal O'Driscoll, Lisa Chearles

Designer: Christine Ting - Huan 挺歡 Urquhart

Production Manager: Jack Boissieux

Assistant Producer: Katrina Man

Stage Manager: Vivi Wei

Supporting Direction: Adam Kammerling, Ailin Conant, Ami Okumura Jones


Reviews

“We don't give shows star ratings except at the Edinburgh Festivals, but if we did, this would be five all the way. Simply, one of the best shows I've seen this year to date.”
SeeingDance - David Mead

“Profoundly thought provoking… really funny… an absolute joy to watch. 5 stars.”
Fairy Powered Productions - Amarjeet Singh


Artist bios

Jamaal O'Driscoll

  • Jamaal is a highly versatile performer & choreographer, born & working in Birmingham. Since 2010, Jamaal has been developing his practice as an artist & teacher, working within Breakin’. His foundation and development has been influenced by the Hip Hop community through his long-standing membership of renowned Breakin’ crew MDK. Jamaal has performed nationally & internationally, his choreographic & performance credits include commissions:

    Performer for ’T-Break’ Choreographed by Marso Riviera. Choreographer and performer credits including commission and performance at CHD2C Festival (Dublin), A4A (London), B-Side (Birmingham) Birmingham Weekender (Birmingham), Breakin’ Convention’s Social DisDancing at Sadler’s Wells (London), Artist 4 Artist Double Bill Commission (The Place & DanceXchange), HomeGrown31 Commissions (The Black Country), Format Festival Commission/ Quad (Derby) & BBC Arts - Film Commission (National).

  • Lisa is a dance artist based in Manchester. She completed her undergraduate studies at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and has since performed in the outdoor productions ‘Mayfly’, ‘album: skool edition’ and ‘Out Of The Deep Blue’ with Kapow Dance Circus Theatre, SAY and Autin Dance Theatre. She also performs in the family-friendly show ‘The Old Green Time Machine’ by Coalesce Dance Theatre and is a devising performer for ‘Discopia’ by Excessive Human Collective. Lisa directed a short dance film, ‘Jericho’, which has been featured as part of ‘Stre@m’, a digital dance platform hosted by The Human Expression and Seoul International Dance Festival.

    Instagram: @mestakes
    Facebook: Lisa Chearles

Si Rawlinson

  • Si Rawlinson is a British Chinese choreographer, born in Hong Kong with English and Chinese heritage. A theatre-maker with a background in dance, his practice is interdisciplinary, mixing hip hop and contemporary dance, physical performance, and theatre. His work has been performed at leading venues in the UK including The Place, Sadler’s Wells, Southbank Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Curve Theatre, and Nottingham Playhouse. He has been supported by Dance4, Breakin’ Convention and the British Council, amongst others. Most recently he has performed as a puppeteer in the Royal Shakespeare Company's critically acclaimed stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican.

  • Yukiko is a dancer & choreographer and co-founder of SAY. She has been working internationally with contemporary dance companies such as Agudo Dance, Art of Spectra(SE), Cathy Waller, James Cousins, Norrdans(SE), Rhiannon Faith, TRIBE and more. Commercial credit includes Nike, Marvel, Cold Play and Ministry of Sound.

    Choreography credit: National Dance Company of Wales(SAY), Norrdans, The Place, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, London Studio Centre & Ballet Boyz(R&D).

    Musical & Theatre credit: The Effect(National Theatre), Miss Julie(Southwark Playhouse)as well as her own work.

    She has received a Choreography Award from DanceXchange and was mentored by Akram Khan Company supported by Sky Arts. She is currently an associate artist at The Place and Dance East associates as SAY.

A Kakilang production, co-produced by Curve Theatre and co-commissioned by The Place 

Project Partners