Departure
A music and dance performance exploring death, ritual, and the spirit
Departure is a music and dance performance by movement artist Masumi Saito and composer/musician An-Ting that explores themes of death, ritual, and the spirit.
Through the intertwining of movement and live music, the performance creates an emotionally resonant experience - breaking the silence around death. Why do cultures across the world uphold long-standing funeral traditions? What can these rituals teach us about both death and life?
In Departure, Masumi Saito and An-Ting reimagine a funeral ceremony inspired by their East Asian heritages as a performance and invite the audience to join in a contemplative space. The performance is followed by a post-show discussion on death and ritual. Inspired by the ethos of Death Cafe, this conversation offers space for audiences and artists to share experiences, stories, and perspectives, exploring how traditions and collective rituals can shape the way we grieve.
Supported by Arts Council England, Britten Pears Arts, Nouveau Riche, Lewisham Council and Broadway Theatre
Post-Show Discussion
A conversation about death, funeral practices, natures, and spirits - Creating a space for contemplating life together by exploring death
There is a default post-show discussion followed by every performance where Masumi and An-Ting invite the audience to join a conversation about death, ritual and spirit.
Masumi and An-Ting take inspiration from Death Cafe and offer a space where people can share their experiences about how traditions and rituals can impact the grief process.
What can we learn about death - and life - from these rituals, and by coming together as a community?
The performance runs for 45 minutes. Followed by a short break (suggested length 5-10 minutes), the post-show discussion will last for 30 minutes.
Reviews & Quotes
“Departure is a haunting, thoughtfully made work that honours the fact that grief often lives beyond reasonable articulation, and that sometimes the body can speak when words will not.”
STAGETALK (4/5)
“Departure by Masumi Saito and An-Ting offered a slow, sensory meditation on death and grief that resisted explanation in favour of physical and sonic experience. Its use of repetition, sound and gesture created space for emotions British theatre often rushes past. It trusted silence and duration, and the result was quietly powerful.”
Our Favourite Shows of 2025, TILLY MARSHALL
“It was totally engrossing and I found myself transfixed visually and aurally and I definitely came away having learned a lot more about other cultures, rituals which felt really enriching.”
BETH BYRNE (Creative Director, Warwick Arts Centre)
“I really enjoyed the show and particularly loved the embedded post show Q&A. The blend of live music, movement, striking visuals and the cultural exchange was incredibly strong and really exciting to see in such an intimate space.”
JODIE PAGET (Assistant Producer, Theatre Royal Plymouth)
“I've been thinking about all the transitions in my life left incomplete because the end wasn't grieved, as such rituals have been lost in my culture. I received your performance as a gift for which I longed but had no place to experience.”
AUDIENCE MEMBER
“We all thoroughly enjoyed Departure [...] at Bristol Old Vic last month. It was an exceptional performance of music and dance delivered and presented with skill and tenderness and suitably understated all allowing its power to convey with such ease. It was a mesmerising experience. Thank you.”
AUDIENCE MEMBER
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Artists
Masumi Saito
Masumi Saito is a movement artist, mother, and choreographer. She creates film works and live performances influenced by nature, spirits, and the Japanese way of being. She has presented her work at renowned venues worldwide, including HOME Manchester, ICA, Jerwood Space, and Kanazawa 21st Century Museum. The Nakanojo Biennale in Japan has commissioned her five times. At the heart of her creative exploration lies a profound inquiry into the relationship between self and surroundings. She delves into the depths of inner being with grace and authenticity, inviting audiences on a journey of introspection and self-discovery.
An-Ting
An-Ting 安婷 is a versatile composer and multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges from electronic music to immersive performance, exploring the relationships between humanity, nature and the spiritual realm. She led and co-created productions including Lost Communications (Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Immersive Arts, Brazil's FILE Festival) and HOME X (nominated for UK Theatre Awards, presented/co-commissioned by Barbican, Theatre Royal York, and Cambridge Junction). Between 2018 and 2023, she served as artistic director of the National Portfolio Organisation Kakilang, placing emphasis on generating new narratives by East and Southeast Asian artists and encouraging cross-artform collaborations.
Tour
16 Jun, 2026 Aldeburgh Festival (Aldeburgh)
8 & 9 May, 2026 Theatre Royal York (York)
21 Dec, 2025 IKLECTIK (London)
3 Dec, 2025 Colchester Arts Centre (Colchester)
18-22 Nov, 2025 Bristol Old Vic (Bristol)
15 Nov, 2025 The Cut (Halesworth)
9 Nov, 2025 Norwich Arts Centre (Norwich)
4 Nov, 2025 Warwick Arts Centre (Coventry)
