facePiece is an experimental performance exploring the expressive possibilities of the human face. Created by Brazilian musician Caio Costa Campos with dramaturgy by Ma Yuge, the work treats facial muscles as independent “voices,” transforming subtle movements of skin, bone, and expression into a silent visual composition. Presented as part of the 2026 GOAT Youth Theatre Festival, the performance invites audiences to become part of the work itself.

About the Performance

What is a face? Flesh, bone, sinew, skin, teeth, muscles, eyes, and sweat together form one of the most powerful tools of human expression. From everyday gestures to artistic performance, the face communicates emotions, thoughts, and identity.

But what if the face itself became the main performer?

facePiece approaches the face not simply as a tool for expressing emotions, but as an independent expressive medium. The performance isolates facial muscles as if they were separate “voices,” allowing their movements—twitches, gazes, and subtle shifts—to create a silent composition.

The work contains no sound and no musical instruments. Instead, the performance unfolds through magnified facial gestures that reveal the complexity of human expression beyond recognizable emotions.

Inspired by philosophical ideas about the face—such as Emmanuel Levinas’ concept of the face as an encounter with the “Other,” and Gilles Deleuze’s theory of faciality—the piece transforms the stage into a site where faces become landscapes of movement and perception.

Audience Participation

Audience members are invited to take part in the performance.

Upon entering the venue, visitors may choose to record a 10–15 second video of their own facial movements. These recordings are processed in real time and incorporated into the live performance, forming part of a collective “score for faces.”

Participation is optional, and those who prefer not to record can simply enter the viewing area.

About the Creators

Caio Costa Campos – Composition

Brazilian composer and improviser Caio Costa Campos explores music as a performative act that intersects with bodily movement, perception, and technology. His practice spans creative programming, live electronics, and experimental performance contexts.

Ma Yuge – Dramaturgy

Ma Yuge is a dramaturg and creator whose work explores the body’s perception of time and space. Her projects span theatre, dance, and installation art, often focusing on overlooked or suppressed sensory experiences.

Why Go

This experimental work reimagines the human face as a stage of its own. Blending performance art, philosophy, and visual composition, facePiece offers a rare theatrical experience where the smallest movements become the central language of the performance.

With its interactive element and unconventional concept, the show provides audiences with an unusual opportunity to both observe and participate in a live artistic experiment.