Edinburgh International Children’s Festival: Plant-filled tent to host 'magical' show for disabled children
Imaginate is celebrating its 35th year
A tent filled with plants is to be the venue for a pioneering show for disabled children unveiled as part of the line up for this year’s Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.
The festival, which will include 13 productions from seven different countries, also includes circus, dance, puppetry and theatre for young people, their schools and families.
When the World Turns features surround-sound, singing, lights, shadows, scents, water, puppetry and more than 300 plants in an intimate show for wheelchair users and their carers.
The show, by Oily Cart theatre company, will be performed in conjunction with its sister show, Great Big Tiny World, which welcomes babies under two into the same space in a tent at the Lyra performing arts centre in Craigmillar.
Imaginate, which runs in venues across Edinburgh from May 24 to June 1, will also feature a regional focus on Flanders, with four productions representing the children’s theatre scene from this region, as well as two new commissions by Scottish companies.
Tongue Twister and The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl, which are both funded by the Scottish Government's Festivals Expo Fund and focus on celebrating diverse cultures and accepting difference, will be touring Scotland in the lead-up to the festival, which is celebrating its 35th year.
Mr Jordan said: “I’m very excited to be launching the 35th edition of the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. Thirty-five years have seen generations of children attend the festival, with many now returning as parents to share cherishable and transformative experiences with their own children.
“Woven through many of the performances is the simple joy of play – from children playing with gravity and rules making to adults’ hidden play and exploration of what it means to be an adult.”
The festival director added: “Play is the cornerstone of childhood and this programme lets us freely imagine worlds and people beyond the immediacy of our own lives whilst connecting us with others.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Every child deserves the chance to experience the magic of live performance and I’m grateful to everyone who has made the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival such a success over the past three decades.
“To have brought smiles to thousands of young people’s faces over 35 years is a truly heart-warming legacy and this year’s programme promises to be no less enthralling. I'm particularly delighted to see it includes two expo-funded commissions with a focus on celebrating cultural diversity.
“The Scottish Government’s Expo fund is designed to help showcase Scottish artists and our festivals to the world, and I’m very proud to continue that support with £110,000 for this year’s Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.”
Colin Bradie, head of creative learning at Creative Scotland said: "The Edinburgh International Children’s Festival continues to inspire and engage young audiences with world-class theatre, dance and storytelling. This year’s programme, with its rich international diversity and focus on celebrating difference, reflects the power of the arts to spark imagination and foster inclusivity.
“We are proud to support this vibrant festival and the many artists who bring it to life, ensuring that children across Scotland have access to transformative cultural experiences.”
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