New theatre tour of Obscura

Company Chameleon is excited to announce a new theatre tour of Obscura, a powerful and original double bill directed by Kevin Edward Turner MBE.

In what is Chameleon’s first theatre tour since 2019, Obscura premieres at HOME in Manchester on Friday 6 February, before touring to The Arts Centre, Edge Hill University on Wednesday 11 February and Pegasus Theatre, Oxford on Friday 6 March.

Obscura dances between light and darkness, exploring the shadows of self and society, showcasing Chameleon’s talent for creating socially relevant dance performance that stirs reflection long after the final step.

A powerful and nuanced trio, delicate and explosive in equal measure, Umbra, spotlights exclusion and the universal search for understanding and to be understood.

Refuse, a quintet inspired by Géricault’s iconic painting The Raft of the Medusa, spotlights displacement by shining a light on the lived experiences of asylum seekers today.

“Obscura is about bringing what we hide into the light.” says show Director, Kevin, “The shadows within ourselves, and the lives society would rather not see. Umbra looks inward at the parts of ourselves we deny, while Refuse looks outward at exclusion. Together the two works explore different aspects of the human experience and share stories relevant to the world we’re living in right now.”

For the first time, the double bill sees Chameleon adapt choreography for the stage that was originally made for outdoor performance.

Kevin said,”Reimagining these works for the theatre has been incredibly exciting.  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.