December E-News

Lincoln Center 2025 – here we come!

We are delighted that When the World Turns will be presented by the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (NYC) in April 2025 as part of Big Umbrella Festival. When the World Turns is a collaboration between Polyglot Theatre (AUS) and Oily Cart (UK), originally commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne for major arts and disability festival, Alter State 2022. The Lincoln Center season marks the North American premiere of this fantastical, immersive theatre experience, specifically created for and with children with complex disability; those who face the most barriers to access. More details coming soon!

We thank all the incredibly generous supporters who have, and continue to make, this large-scale production possible, and accessible to our audiences. For more information about When the World Turns, including collaborators and supporters, please visit our Shows page. For more information about all Polyglot funding champions, please visit our Support Us page.

Ahead of an exciting 2025, the Polyglot team is taking a break. Our last day for the year will be Friday 20 December, and we return on Monday 6 January. Thank you to everyone who has been part of our extraordinary 2024 adventures: children, families, schools, collaborators, presenting partners, government and philanthropic funding champions, donors, and all our supporters. We hope that you and your loved ones enjoy a restful break.

Ants at Melbourne Museum

Join us for a summer school holiday season of Ants at Melbourne Museum, supported by the City of Melbourne. This interactive performance brings children together to explore the landscape around them. Ants as big as humans work together intently, collecting and placing hundreds of giant breadcrumbs, and children are irresistibly drawn closer to find out how they can join in. Presented by Melbourne Museum as part of Antopia, kick off each day with a free, outdoor 10am Ants performance on the Plaza, with further performances inside, free with Museum entry.

Totems

On Friday 29 November, Polyglot’s Kids Collaborations project, Totems, with Warren Central School and Warraan Widji Arts in NSW, culminated in an epic community performance and celebration. With a full audience of family, staff and community members, 90 students proudly shared the stories, characters, costumes and puppets they had created: Giidjaa (ants), Guduu (Murray cod), fisherman, Maliyan (Wedgetail eagle), a snake, two Mayi, and of course many Dhigarrbilas (echidnas, the local totem). The performance was followed by morning tea, catered by the school canteen with support from secondary hospitality students.

Totems. Photos: Belinda Bell.

Totems is led by two Polyglot artists: First Nations writer Blayne Welsh, a Wailwan man, and designer and puppet-maker Tamara Rewse. We are grateful for the opportunity to take the project to Blayne’s Wailwan Country for the second year of its development.

Sharing practice & process

At the end of October, 18 Generator artists and three staff members gathered on Bunurong Country at Phillip Island (Millowl) for the second annual Polyglot Camp. Catalyst days are paid professional development opportunities for our artists to come together, share creative practice and play, and interrogate how and why we make our art. They form an essential part of The Generator program. Polyglot Camp places two Catalyst days in nature, offering our artists the opportunity to slow down, reflect, and find new perspective, while collectively strengthening their creative practice.

In November, Polyglot and Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) partnered to deliver Artist Jam, a participatory workshop to bring a wider network of Asian Australian artists into the world of children’s theatre. Led by the Artistic Directors of both companies, Cat Sewell and Tessa Leong, 11 artists gathered at Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne/Naarm for an energising day of creative exchange.

L: Polyglot Camp. Photo: Cat Sewell. R: Artist Jam, Polyglot Theatre & CAAP.

Cat and Sue Giles AM, President of ASSITEJ International and Polyglot’s former Artistic Director & co-CEO, delivered an ‘in conversation’ webinar for the University of Melbourne Creativity and Wellbeing Research Initiative (CAWRI): how does the impact of the arts play out when children are involved? Cat and Sue framed the discussion (which was recorded live) around When the World Turns.

Later in the month, Cat delivered a keynote speech at the Playgroup Victoria 2024 Conference. She spoke about her experiences of play and creativity, and Polyglot’s work.

“Polyglot productions and projects are sophisticated, rigorous and led by highly skilled performing artists. They are also based on simple principles of play that we hope inspires the children and families who participate to try new, creative ways of exploring their world.”

Thank you

When the World Turns, a collaboration between Polyglot Theatre (AUS) and Oily Cart (UK), was originally commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne for major arts and disability festival Alter State 2022. The development and premiere was supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons Board, the British Council and the Australian Government as part of the UK/Australia Season, with further support from the Cassandra Gantner Foundation, State Trustees Australia Foundation, the Jennifer Prescott Family Foundation, the Marian and E.H. Flack Trust, ArtPlay, Arts Council England and ecoDynamics.

Ants at Melbourne Museum is supported by the City of Melbourne.

Totems is assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, and the Malcolm Robertson Foundation.

The Generator is supported by the Besen Family Foundation, the Canny Quine Foundation, the Sidney Myer Fund, and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.