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The physical-theatre troupe B-Floor has a new work titled "Begin Again", written and directed by its newest member, Nana Dakin.

Nana, whose previous works "Passing" and "Other People" were staged in New York in 2006, stitches together three thematically linked stories in "Begin Again".

"They're based on the theme of leaving home in search of 'something better'," she says.

A character referred to as the Refugee, played by Preechayut Saechang, flees persecution in Burma. The Migrant - Crescent Moon's Sarawanee Yodnoon - seeks better financial opportunities, and the Girl - B-Floor's Dujdao Vadhanapakorn - wants "personal growth".

"The story of the Girl is based on my own experience of leaving New York for Thailand," says Nana. "Being half-Thai, I wanted to come here to understand my Thai heritage better. I left behind a lot of things that I loved.

"But I wasn't interested in telling my story - I wanted to use the themes of sacrifice and desire for 'something more' in a Thai context."

The physical theatre of "Begin Again" involves telling the story mostly through movement and images rather than speech. Its vocabulary of movement derives primarily from hip-hop and Thai dance.

"Hip-hop is essentially about saying 'I am here, look at me!' It highlights the characters' desire to express who they are and what they need.

"The Thai dance forms are used to locate certain scenes in Thailand and specify a character's identity."

It's mostly movement and images, but when the actors speak, there will be English surtitles.

 FRESH START

>> "Begin Again" runs until Sunday and from August 26 to 30 at Democrazy Theatre Studio on Soi Saphan Koo. The show time is 7.30pm except Fridays, when it starts at 8.

>> Tickets are Bt300. Call (08) 9167 4039.

 >> On the Web: www.BFloorTheatre.com.