A STORY for anyone who has ever felt different is coming to the stage.

O&O presents The Way I Look at the Lyric Theatre in Bridport on Friday and Saturday. People can also sign up to a theatre masterclass.

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.

Physical theatre ensemble O&O will be at the Lyric to present The Way I Look, an eye-opening new theatre piece exploring the relationship between identity and appearance. The ensemble will also be running a workshop on the Saturday in physical theatre and creating characters.

O&O’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.

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.

The ensemble is 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, who have toured to The Lyric with two shows before. Come and see them in a totally new direction!

*The Way I Look, The Lyric Theatre, Friday October 13 and Saturday October 14. Tickets are £12, available in advance from BearKat Bistro and Bridport Arts Centre: 01308 424204. Doors open at 7:30pm for a prompt 8pm start on both nights.

The theatre workshop is 12-3pm on Saturday (14) and costs £20. Details at the-lyric.com.