Manchester’s leading contemporary dance company, Company Chameleon and Barcelona dance duo Clémentine & Lisard create a new dance performance for La Mercè. This is a new commission especially for Manchester at La Mercè.
In the heart of a town’s square, a living handbook unfolds — one written not on paper, but in movement, strategy, and play.
The Ultimate Player’s Handbook is a vibrant street performance that explores the games we play every day – where rules are made and broken, roles shift between winner and loser, and cooperation is as vital as competition.
Co-directed by Company Chameleon (UK) and Clémentine & Lisard (CAT), the piece transforms public space into a playground where teams form, alliances shift, and every move asks us to reflect on the parts we play.
With music, dance, and celebration, this handbook in motion invites us to question: how do we navigate rules – and how do we bring a sense of playfulness in our everyday lives?
Blending the athletic and emotionally rich movement styles of both groups, the work will debut at La Mercè in Barcelona in September 2025 and return to Manchester in 2026.
A new commission by XTRAX and the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona for MCRxLaMerce2025, funded by Arts Council England and Manchester City Council.
Premieres at La Mercè, Barcelona on 24, 27 and 28 September 2025.
Photocredit: The Ultimate Player’s Handbook_Company Chameleon X Clémentine and Lisard_photocredit Barcelona City Council
