“The lights on myself, the suspension of time as I move, the applause or criticisms after – for all the world to witness. I am likened to Shiva on stage. But how much of that matters off stage? Who am I really when the lights are gone?”

Following successful premieres in Chennai, India in February 2017 and Singapore in May 2017, FAÇADE is set to be restaged in Singapore this September. Conceptualised, choregraphed and performed by Neewin Hershall, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy’s resident dancer/choreographer, the reworked production sees the original solo presentation transformed to include nine of Bhaskar’s Arts Academy’s Company dancers.

As the protagonist, Neewin reveals the struggles within all of us to keep our personal and professional lives separate. Critical, immersive and thought-provoking, the work explores the interplay between the seen and unseen of an artist’s life. In order to draw in the dancers’ everyday reality into the performance space, the production will creatively interweave music, theatre and film with Bharatanatyam. Segments of live streaming will also enhance the audience experience, inching them into the intimate setting. Designed by the multifaceted Creative Director Deepu Nair, who also worked on the soundtrack for the production, the film adds an element of fragility to the protagonist’s memories.

The set created by Zarch Collaborative’s Randy Chan and Amelia Lim will be intentionally minimal to convey the powerful imagery of each scene. Neewin’s challenge in this production is reshaping a solo work into a group presentation without losing the integrity of the original work.

“At first, our different backgrounds, perspectives and ideologies coming together as one, with the goal of bringing this vision to life felt challenging. But as we progressed through several workshops and training sessions, we began to connect and understand each other on a deeper level. The work is very dear to me and I needed time to think about how I can evolve it to include BAA’s Company dancers. I found inspiration in our shared journey, and soon, everything started to fall into place.” said Neewin.

As a dancer, Neewin took Singapore by storm in 2008 with Crossroads. Since then, he has given numerous impeccable performances in works such as Manohra (2009), Purnima (2011), Anubhava (2013) and Rasa & Dhwani (2013). Commanding respect and leaving an impression are his trademark styles as exemplified by his much-talked-about solo work Rudram (2010) and FAÇADE (2017). With his strength and sculpturesque form, Neewin is often the envy of many a male dancer. A Kalakshetra alumnus, Neewin also did a stint at the much-acclaimed Nrityagram in Bangalore before he decided to make Singapore his home.

FACADE – Two Parallel Lives plays on 14th September 2024 at Victoria Theatre. Tickets available from SISTIC