Created and Performed by Penny Chivas, Music by Paul Michael Henry, Lighting by Great Snakes (David Bowes)

Originally from Australia, Penny Chivas is a Glasgow-based dance artist and activist. Having already wowed audiences in both the UK and Australia, this urgent and timely dance-theatre work, BURNT OUT encapsulates one Australian’s experience of the devastating bushfires and the personal experience of the daughter of an environmental geochemist.  

Funded by Creative Scotland’s Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance and supported by QL2 Dance (Australia)  BURNT OUT takes us on a journey and asks the question ‘why do we feel we are unable to acknowledge the changes around us even when surrounded by thick smoke?’ 

Penny Chivas draws on her own experience of the fires. Growing up in Australia, she experienced the Canberra fires of 2003, the blacked skies over Melbourne during Black Saturday 2009, and during a visit in 2019, Black Summer. Her experiences are contrasted with Australia’s reliance on coal – even using coal- powered electricity to “clean the air” during the fires. 

Penny Chivas will be performing in Orkney on two dates:

Fri 8 Sep 7pm Stromness Town Hall, Orkney Tickets in advance through Eventbrite or on the door

Mon 11 Sep 7pm St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney Tickets in advance through Eventbrite or on the door

The performance is suitable for audiences aged 12+.

Other dates in Scotland:

Tue 5 Sep | 7pm Culbin Theatre, Nairn Community Arts Centre01667 453 476 | nairncc.co.uk

Sat 16 Sep | 7.30pm Mareel, Shetland01595 745 500 | shetlandarts.org

Fri 29 Sep | 7pm (BSL interpreted)The Barn, Banchory 01330 825431 | thebarnarts.co.uk

Wed 4 Oct | 7.30pm  (BSL interpreted)Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling 01786 466 666 | macrobertartscentre.org

Thu 5 Oct | 6.30pm (BSL interpreted)The Byre Theatre, St Andrews 01334 475000 | byretheatre.com

Fri 6Oct | 7pm (BSL interpreted)Platform, Easterhouse 0141 276 9696 (opt 1) | platform-online.co.uk

Sat 14 Oct and Sun 15 Oct | 6pmThe Phoenix, Dumbarton FREE | Tickets in advance: https://forms.gle/6xjSsALweXtbZabM8 

Sat 28 Oct | 2pm Quarrymen’s Arts Centre, Creetown 01387 253 383 | quarrymensartscentre.co.uk

BURNT OUT is touring until Saturday 28 October. Each performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with a local environmental activist. In line with Chivas’ commitment to being ethically sustainable, the tour is aspiring to be done by public transport – train/bus and ferry travel and any car transportation, mileage will be tracked and recorded.