During the September school holidays, a forest of tall cardboard trees will fill The Edge at Fed Square. Children and families are invited to explore and then add to this strange and delicate place using only paper, tape and their imaginations. Performers roam, and theatre and play merge as creatures, plants, costumes, characters, stories and adventures spring to life.
This season is a very special homecoming. In 2011, Paper Planet by Polyglot Theatre was first commissioned and premiered at Fed Square, and 15 years later, remains one of the company’s most beloved touring productions. It has reached more than 102,000 people in 10 countries, with 86% of audiences able to access it for free. As part of Fed Square’s RESET – a festival for grounding and growing – and supported by the City of Melbourne, families can drop in across free two-hour rolling performances, Monday 28 September – Friday 2 October.
The inherent accessibility of Paper Planet is part of its evergreen quality. Language isn’t a barrier – it can be entirely non-verbal. The participatory performance has been presented in China, Germany, Japan, Norway, Singapore and South Korea, as well as Canada and the USA, and extensively at home in Australia. Children choose how they interact with the performers and the space; some find themselves absorbed in quiet making, others prefer to play and explore.
September 28 – October 2
