Company Chameleon moves indoors
- Alan Hulme
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
From their home base in Manchester to performances in Germany, Romania, on a cruise ship and in Barcelona, until now Company Chameleon's dance double bill Obscura has only been performed outdoors.
Director Kevin Edward Turner has now adapted it for indoor stages for what will be the company's first tour of indoor venues since 2019.
Inspired by Gericault’s iconic 1819 painting The Raft of the Medusa, Refuse exposes the harsh realities faced by asylum seekers and displaced people, whilst companion piece Umbra "explores the challenging places within ourselves we feel we cannot share and the universal search for understanding and acceptance."
Performed together for the first time, Turner says the pair of works are natural bedfellows, Umbra exploring challenging lived experiences from an individual perspective, and Refuse through an external lens: “Obscura is about bringing what we hide into the light; the shadows within ourselves, and the lives society would rather not see.
"The indoor space allows us to work with time, tension and atmosphere in a much more detailed way, and lighting becomes almost like another performer. It’s given the pieces a new depth, while still keeping the raw, physical energy that defines the company’s performance style."
Both pieces drawing on contemporary, breakin, hip hop, house, capoeira, circus and African influences, underpinned by theatrical sensibilities.
The double bill premieres at HOME, Manchester on February 6, with a further performance at The Arts Centre of Edge Hill University in Ormskirk on February 11.
More info and tickets here
