If you don't know...Janisè Sadik
…Let me introduce you!
Janisè Sadik is an actor, director and creative facilitator currently based in South East London, with a rich portfolio of work.
I asked Janisè some questions!
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HALEY: How do you describe your work?
JANISÈ: Thought provoking storytelling, using movement and music. I’m really drawn to using the textures that music and movement can bring to a piece that doesn’t feel secondary but a part of the dramaturgy process. I’m interested in continuing working with new writing, finding stories that haven’t been told and devised work. I mostly enjoy collaborating internationally to learn from other practitioners and storytellers.
HALEY: What’s your artistic mission?
JANISÈ: My work is dedicated to the people who do not believe that theatre is a place in which they belong. My mission is to make it accessible to those individuals. Storytelling is a powerful tool and we should all be able to have access to its magic.
I feel that my desire to create work as a director came from a place of wanting to see the stories on stage and screen that represented my community. Going up for auditions as an Actor made me feel, regardless of my talent and training, it would come down to if my casting was physically what was desired and my casting fitting only a particular role left me limited. Therefore I dedicate a lot of my time creating stories and working to break past these boundaries.
HALEY: What are your favourite projects that you’ve worked on so far?
JANISÈ:
The Roundabout Tour with Paines Plough. I was the Assistant Director on three plays touring the UK in 2019. I loved taking them to different communities and seeing a different reaction each time.
Wimbledon Arts College in collaboration with The Lyric. I worked with Tara Usher on a short play ‘Hydraulic’ written by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu
Oval House Summer School. I directed a devised play called ‘Breaking the Internet’, with 60 young people using Music, Dance and Drama to create a play in three weeks.
HALEY: Where did you study or train?
JANISÈ: Identity Drama School for 5 years, at Paines Plough as a trainee director in 2019, and Tamasha Directing Group 2021. The Young Vic has also played a huge part in my training and I’m forever grateful.
HALEY: What are you working on these days?
JANISÈ: I’m creating work with the Young Coneys digitally, now an Associate at Coney. I’m also working with Fast Familiar on a digital project that will hopefully be in schools later this year.
In a few weeks, I’ll be starting the creative process working with young people from Hamworthy in Poole for ‘Hear Me Now’, Written by Andrew Muir, w. Lighthouse Poole and Paines Plough.
HALEY: What artist(s) do you look up to?
JANISÈ: Stef O’Driscoll, Ola Ince, Zephryn Taitte & Ned Glasier, Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, Arinzé Kene & Michaela Coel
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