Please note that this is an overdue event

Tangle – Polyglot Theatre

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Children weave and play creating a colorful world in this interactive artwork.

Tangle is a giant weaving play space event using colored elastic to create a vibrant, live interactive artwork made by children and their families. Polyglot Theatre, creators of We Built This City, presented in The Arts Center’s inaugural season, return with another inventive work to take over the plazas of NYU Abu Dhabi.

“It is a gentle, fun and brilliantly executed artwork. Fantastic to watch or participate, Tangle is a masterpiece in art making for young people.” Vernon Guest, Sydney Festival

An elastic ball is given to each participant to weave around golden poles. Before long, a dense, multi-coloured landscape is created, a space to play, explore and bounce in. Featuring live music, Tangle is an event where children take the lead, building and contributing to an amazing and enchanting public artwork that everyone can enjoy.

“I have never felt string that was so elasticity in my whole life. I have learnt that just some simple balls of string can be soooo cool.” Eve, aged 10

Background

Tangle was created in collaboration with primary school children. The designs for the beautiful abstract sculptures on the tops of the poles were also based on the artwork of these children. After a series of workshops, the final work was developed based on the ideas and creative concepts of our child collaborators.

How it Works

Using colored elastic, beautiful two-metre poles and live music, the Tangle space is transformed from an empty site to an extraordinary woven installation over a period of hours.

As children and their adults enter Tangle – each child in control of their own ball of colored elastic – a winding and weaving design begins to emerge around the poles, filling the space with color. Once their ball of elastic is finished, they start to work with the elastic they see around them and the play begins in earnest – with stretching, using entire bodies to pull and entangle the material getting completely wound up in it.

“Tangle is a great example of artful play.” Joyce Watts, Tot: Hot or Not Blog (Melbourne)

Polyglot Theatre is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the City of Melbourne.

Polyglot’s tour to Abu Dhabi is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.