Polyglot’s March e-news

Celebrating World Day of Theatre for Children

Sunday 20 March is World Day of Theatre for Children, an ASSITEJ International campaign marked with the catch cry: ‘Take a child to the theatre today!’ Polyglot is celebrating with a bigger-than-ever-before season of Boats at the Wyndham City Children’s Week Picnic. We are tremendously excited to be returning to this special event, and cannot wait to create, play and adventure with children and families on the Great Lawn. The Picnic is booked out, but we look forward to sharing highlights in our next e-news.

Our Artistic Director Sue Giles AM is the President of ASSITEJ International, and her World Day of Theatre for Children message can be read here. Our Executive Director Kath Fyffe reflected on what this day means for Polyglot, and you can read her message here. In a recent Polyglot survey, a parent shared, “[Creative experiences are] very important for us because it creates memories and special feelings… It’s like the roots building inside [my] child’s heart and growing something later when similar spaces, activities and people show up again.”

In the first week of the April school holidays, Bees premieres at Abbotsford Convent! Presented by Polyglot Theatre and Convent Kids, sessions will run from 9-12 April. Explore a buzzing, humming hive of activity, as three human-sized Bees busy themselves in the creation of a community alongside children who transform into bees as they play. FREE, no bookings required. For detailed information about accessibility and getting to the Convent, please visit our What’s On listing. Bees director Emily Tomlins writes: “I hope everyone comes away with a sense of joy, and a feeling of being a part of something larger themselves. Just like bees are an essential part of our ecosystem, we too are an essential part of each other’s. Bees gives us a moment to experience this, in a time when isolation has become the norm.” This season is supported by the City of Yarra.

Last weekend, ArtPlay presented Paper Planet for Moomba Festival, and it was an incredible delight to welcome over 600 people into our cardboard forest. Most sessions were gentle and contemplative – a little oasis in the exciting hustle and bustle of Moomba. We feel very lucky to be able to collaborate with children and families in-person again, and these connections bring great energy to our work. We offer a huge thank you to everyone who attended, and a reminder that our audience feedback survey for this season is still open. One child shared how the experience made them feel: “I had so much fun. I felt really proud. I liked having fun in Paper Planet.”

There is lots of Polyglot activity in the pipeline for the rest of the year, and we look forward to creating and playing with more children and families – both at home and further afield. Please stay tuned for more updates and more opportunities to engage with our performances and workshops.

Stay safe, and we hope to see you soon!