Spectre in the Covert Memory 1995

Long before it grew to attain its status one of Australia's most recognisable and respected artistic institutions, Chunky Move began as a one-off project of two works presented as a double bill for the 1995 Melbourne Festival. Fast Idol was choreographed by Gideon Obarzanek, who would go on to become Chunky Move's artistic director, while Spectre in the Covert Memory was choreographed by Garry Stewart, now artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre. Together, this striking pair of works by two fast-rising talents announced the arrival of Chunky Move.

Creative Team
Choreography Garry Stewart
Film Garry Stewart
Composition Peter Wells
Costume Design Brett Chamberlain
Lighting Design Damien Cooper
Production Design Andrew Carter

Original Performers Narelle Benjamin, Lea Francis, Brett Daffy, John Leathart, Kathryn Dunn, Luke Smiles

Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek
Executive Producer Angharad Wynne-Jones
Production Manager Mark Mitchell
Stage Manager Annette Dale

World Premiere
20 October 1995
Presented by Chunky Move and Melbourne Festival

Touring Seasons
1995 Sydney
1996 Canberra
1997 Sydney

"Spectre uses dangerous and frenetic movements to take us through dreams and archetypal fears… the highlight is a dance of sleeping figures who fling themselves on to an upright bed. Velcro catches every move of violent, tormented sleep and microphones amplify the sound of their limbs thumping the surface. Gripping stuff, superbly performed" The Australian.

A note from Garry Stewart

My primary investigation was to create a work that resided at the median point on a scale between ‘dance theatre’ at one end and ‘pure’ dance at the other. A kind of abstract expressionist dance. Gently pervading this work are fragments of notions pertaining to the subconscious, half-forgotten memories of the dreamstate.

L:R John Leathart, Narelle Benjamin, Luke Smiles Image: unknown

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