VISION, MISSION, VALUES
Vision Polyglot’s vision is of a future where children are
empowered artistically, socially and culturally.
Mission Placing kids at the heart of our art, Polyglot creates
interactive experiences which ignite imaginations
everywhere from tiny Australian country towns to the
world’s leading centres for the arts.
Values• ACCESSIBILITY to our audiences in price, place
and process
• COLLABORATION with children and peers in our
creative processes, encouraging partnerships
• DIVERSITY of audiences and participants, activity
and income
• EXCELLENCE in process, production, performance
and operations
• BRAVERY in our work to enable new discoveries
• PLAYFULNESS in artistic discovery and in
operations, having as much fun as possible in
the process
• RESOURCEFULNESS in order to make seemingly
impossible things happen
• RESPECT for our artists, audiences, colleagues,
and for the insights of children
• SUSTAINABILITY of operations, of artistic work and
of the planet
2013 Staff list Sue Giles Artistic Director / co-CEO
Tamara Harrison Executive Producer / co-CEO
Adi Diner Associate Producer / General Manager (to August)
Gail Southwell
General Manager (from November)
Lis Blake
Community Associate
Rebecca Chew
Development Manager (from June)
Emma Dodd
Production and Touring Manager
Catherine French
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Imbi Neeme
Administrator
Julie Wright
Company Manager
2013 Board of DirectorsJulia White Chair
Tom Gutteridge Deputy Chair
Johanna Platt Treasurer
Angela O’Brien General Secretary
Jamie Dawson (to May)
Patricia Edgar
Rhiannon Keen
Tim Woods (from July)
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 2
3 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Polyglot Theatre is an internationally renowned
creator of interactive experiences for children and
their adults, inspiring kids to turn the simplest things
into extraordinary creations. At Polyglot, theatre is
child’s play.
Polyglot’s artists are inspired by the artwork, play
and ideas of children and our works feature active
participation from audience members through
touch, play and encounter. Our artistic works
respond to the childhood need for experiences
that encourage free artistic expression and an
imaginative interpretation of the world. We seek to
challenge, to foster curiosity and to inspire.
For over 30 years, Polyglot has been recognised as
one of Australia’s leading children’s arts companies.
We make new theatre work, present performances,
run workshops and community projects in
Melbourne and around Australia. The company is
in demand internationally as well, performing in five
languages in seven countries on four continents.
Polyglot has played at some of the world’s most
prestigious arts centres and events – including the
Sydney Opera House, Singapore International Arts
Festival, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center for the
Arts, and the national theatres of London, Korea
and Taiwan.
ABOUT POLYGLOT
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 4
Feed The Art
Feed The Art is Polyglot’s model for appraising,
critiquing and valuing our work, creating and
fostering a holistic culture of outstanding theatre
making. Feed The Art includes the following five
steps:
• CHILDREN’S INPUT engaged throughout the
creative process
• CONNECTION WITH PEERS through conversation,
seeing work, and artistic exchange
• CATALYST ARTISTS, who contribute new ideas
to provide provocation and push the artform
development throughout the creation process
• CRITICISM through invited external responses
from experts who look at our work with a
specialised lens
• CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT is sought through
ongoing skills development and a commitment
to excellence, so we never stop learning
Feed The Art is a major component of Polyglot’s
Artistic Vibrancy model, designed to assess the
quality, relevance and success of our artistic program.
Artistic Catalyst Group
In addition to the Feed the Art process, Polyglot also
has an Artistic Catalyst Group. Throughout the year
the Artistic Director and Executive Producer meet
with a select group of artists and theatre workers
for intensive two day meetings discussing Polyglot’s
vision, ideas, planning and process. In 2013 the
Artistic Catalyst Group was Madeleine Flynn and
Tim Humphrey, Anna Tregloan, and Julianne O’Brien.
This group has proven invaluable to the concept
development behind new works and as a sounding
board and support for the Artistic Director.
In 2013 we had the wonderful input of Ed Scribner – Child Reporter, who’s insightful and funky videos
documented and reviewed our work from a child’s
perspective. Later in the year we also worked with
Nina B – Polyglot Correspondent, whose delightful
written reviews have given a different form of
commentary on the work.
ABOUT POLYGLOT
4 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
In Polyglot’s 2012 Annual Report, I referred to the
year just gone as ‘one of the busiest years we’ve
had’. In hindsight, it seems now that 2012 set
the benchmark for ‘normal operations’ as 2013
continued on in the same vein.
Busy is a word that defines this company. With
over 57 performances in Australia, including a
national tour to 25 towns, a further 31 performances
in 3 countries around the world, creation and
development of 4 new works, delivery of community
projects to over 163 participants and an ongoing
schools residency program, 2013 continued to set the
trend in artistic outreach. By year’s end, over 110,000
people had experienced a Polyglot production, in
over 81 different locations across four countries.
The company is now in the strong position of
having several tried and tested unique immersive
engagement works in its repertoire, as well as several
new works in development. Demand for Polyglot’s
particular style of children’s entertainment remains
strong globally.
Acknowledgement must be made in 2013 of our
wonderful funding partners – the Australia Council
for the Arts, Arts Victoria, City of Melbourne, and
City of Stonnington. As a recipient of ongoing
funding from local, state and federal governments,
the company has been able to shore up both its
organisational and its creative capacity to best
advantage. Polyglot was fortunate to receive in
2013 new funding from Arts Victoria, in recognition of
the unique nature of the work being produced and
its ability to showcase Victoria on a global stage.
Especial thanks also goes out to the many donors
to Polyglot who give generously in support of this
organisation. Rebecca Chew commenced in the
role of Philanthropy Manager mid-2013 and has
already made an impact in the areas of donor
engagement, with a view to taking philanthropic
support to the next level.
The end of 2013 brought about an end of an era
for me as I step down from my role as Chair after
five years on the Polyglot Board. I would like to pay
tribute to my colleagues on the Polyglot Board, all
of whom bring a passion and interest to the table
every meeting, and share a dedication and belief in
the work being created. I leave the company in the
capable hands of Tom Gutteridge, who accepted
the position of Chair as of January 2014.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the unswerving
dedication of the team running the show at Polyglot.
Each of the staff has never failed to impress; their
passion and dedication to both art and young
people is always at the forefront of everything that
they do. And, of course, the company owes a
huge debt of gratitude to its joint CEOs, Tamara
Harrison and Sue Giles; both powerhouses of energy,
ideas and vision. I wish them all well on their new
adventures, and am confident that they will continue
to keep themselves ‘busy’.
Julia White
Chair, Polyglot
CHAIR’S REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 5
CEO’S REPORT
In 2013 Polyglot’s strength of profile and reputation
for creating works that are shared by whole families
meant more opportunities for partnerships across
the whole year. We create explorative, interactive
worlds that rely on both individual response and
collective creation. Our point of difference in our art
remains a key factor in our increasing recognition,
locally and internationally.
2013 was made particularly significant by the
partnerships, both new and established, which
allowed for a huge amount of exploration, based on
trust in the company’s product and confidence in
our delivery.
We started with site specific exploration with
Melbourne Recital Centre, continuing this adventure
with Trailblazer in October for Melbourne Festival
at Federation Square. We worked with long time
partners Arts Centre Melbourne with new work Sonar exploring sound as a playful interactive form, and
with Federation Square to present Ants. We were part
of Darebin Council’s new strategy at the Arts Centre
with Paper Planet and Sydney Opera House took
Sound of Drawing for 16 days, papering the walls with
glorious colour. We were part of festivals large and
small all over the world, with works that have proven
their attractiveness to a broad audience.
Polyglot’s works live long. The flexibility of the work
means adaptability to almost any space and
situation. Works like Tangle, We Built This City and
Paper Planet are visual and tactile expressions of
Polyglot’s philosophy around arts and children, using
simple materials to build spectacular shared art
works that rely on imaginative play. The non-verbal
performance within these works – very physical and
playful – mean that communities anywhere in the
world can enjoy it.
2013 was a year of building and strengthening
partnerships, of seeing how our work can be part
of something that really can change individual
aspirations as well as being beautiful, fun,
spectacular and original. One of the largest and
most ambitious community engagement projects
we have ever undertaken in our 35 year history
came to a close this year with Expecting Something? culminating in October with a three pronged public
outcome. We were back to Mahogany Rise in
Frankston with a second performance project with
the grade 5s, 6s and 7s, and our new exploration
Voice Lab made everything we’ve been exploring
about the authentic child voice in what we do, a
reality. We also began what we hope to be a strong
international collaboration with Japan, working in
Minamisanriku for the second time in three years,
alongside children of the town.
Our important creative collaborators this year were
the children and staff of the Victorian College for
the Deaf, the Currajong School, Dinjerra Primary
School, Insight Education Centre for Blind and Vision
Impaired and Mahogany Rise Primary School as well
as our PUPS – the Polyglot Underage People Society.
New theatre work Separation Street brought two
schools together with the Suitcase Royale to explore
new ways of bringing in children’s interactivity to
create a theatrical journey. Separating children
from adults to hear and feel their instinctive response
and energy while immersed in a theatrical world is a
fascinating adventure and has led us down a new
path of theatre making.
6 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
The year wouldn’t be the busy year it was without
all the other work we packed into it. Our staff work
harder than anyone we know and with workshops
at festivals and schools, roving puppetry, constant
touring, and complex community engagement
projects, we had our hands full all year. And yet
everyone manages to eat cake, have a laugh and
get a kick out of what we can bring to the arts sector
and to children.
We could not do without the inspiration and hard
yakka of the artists we work with; the designers,
directors, sound artists, performers, production
managers, makers and dancers; who are more like
a family than anything else, who we can rely upon
to deal with any situation, who understand deeply
what it is we are all trying to achieve. This year we
have worked with more art forms, more exciting new
directions and more interesting developments than
ever before.
Thank you to the Polyglot Board for their continued
loyalty, belief and rigour; to the Polyglot Staff who are
a great team and know how to make things happen
in the best way possible, to the Artistic Catalyst Group
for their constant stimulation and to our extended
family of artists, children and adults who come with
us on all of our adventures.
We hope you enjoy reading about the projects in this
year of amazing activity and look forward to seeing
you all in 2014.
CEO’S REPORT
Sue Giles Artistic Director/ co-CEO
Tamara HarrisonExecutive Producer
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 7
Polyglot performed over 260 performances of six
existing works and three new works, facilitated four
community engagement projects, undertook three
creative development processes and led over 130
workshops, all in all reaching more than 110,000
people in different four countries.
2 new commissions The Great Australian Dream and
Trailblazer reached approximately 8,000 people in
the City of Melbourne.
Our newest work in development, Separation Street, invited children to share their expertise in
creative play and original thought during its creative
development showing at Arts House CultureLAB.
Polyglot delivered an outdoor exhibition, gallery
installation and performance of How High The Sky as part of our long-term Kids In Control community
engagement program, Expecting Something? in
Morwell.
Muckheap embarked on a final national Australian
tour, travelling from the country’s leading arts
centers to its tiniest towns. Over ten years, Muckheap
has been seen by an estimated 95,000 children
worldwide.
We visited the China Shanghai Performing Arts
Market for the first time with the support of the
Victorian Government Super Trade Mission.
Tangle premiered at the Perth International Arts
Festival and WOMADelaide, before premiering in
South Korea, and touring across the USA.
We Built This City, Polyglot’s flagship work toured the
USA performing in Tulsa, Oklahoma and La Jolla,
California.
With the support of the Australia-Japan Foundation,
and Arts Victoria Polyglot returned to Minamisanriku,
Japan, an area affected by the 2011 tsunami, with a
special iteration of We Built This City.
Polyglot benefitted from the support of 45 donors
including 32 Ambassadors, led by our patron Miss
Betty Amsden AO; we partnered with nine trusts and
foundations who supported our artistic development
with children, artists and the community. Polyglot
also worked with six sponsors who supported the
presentation of our work. These supporters are listed
on pp 41 - 42.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2013
Sue Giles Artistic Director/ co-CEO
The Great Australian Dream was a commission for the
Melbourne Recital Centre and marked Polyglot’s first
collaboration with the iconic music venue. With the
broad thematic of ‘Australia’ to play with, this work
harnessed the growing interest in site specific space
activation projects that respond to the purpose of
the site as much as its architecture. Using colour,
texture and abstract impressions of landscape and
environment the work explored concepts of sound
through doing. The Great Australian Dream is a title
that references the irony of the changing ideals in
this country of what is desired and what is possible.
The project consisted of four different works: The Great Australian Dream – an installation of tiny
houses each with an individual doorbell; Bubble Path – a bubble wrapped staircase that participants
jumped hopped and danced on; Bell Bird – a room
hung with hundreds of little sweet brass bells that
you encountered with blindfold on; and Sound of Drawing – a table wired for sound that enabled
children to not only see the outcome of their artistic
endeavours but also hear the sounds the actions of
their pastels made on the paper. Sound of Drawing went on to have a separate season of its own at
the Sydney Opera House in July and looks poised to
become part of our regular touring repertoire.
A special addition to the installation works at the
Melbourne Recital Centre was the presentation
of Artist Adam Simmons’ music box work, Building Blocks, responding to the plight of asylum seekers in
this country.
KEY ACTIVITIES Music Play Children’s Festival – The Great Australian DreamVenue: Melbourne Recital Centre
Performance dates: 17 – 19 January
Number of performances: 3
Total audience: 1,846
Key artists: Concept and direction Sue Giles, Design
and build Mischa Long, Doorbell design Marco Cher-
Gibard and Danny Cisco, Performers Christian Bagin,
Jodee Mundy, Sabrina d’Angelo, Building Blocks
Installation Adam Simmons, Sound artists Madeleine
Flynn and Tim Humphrey
Production: Emma Dodd, Rita Khayat
Kids at the House – Sound of DrawingVenue: Sydney Opera House
Performance dates: 1 – 14 July
Number of days: 16
Total audience: 4,000
Key artists: Staff training and direction Sue Giles,
Performers Sydney Opera House Staff
FUNDING SUPPORTCommissioned by Melbourne Recital Centre
in 2013
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/IdybwNE3DXM
8 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
NEW WORK IN DEVELOPMENTTHE GREAT AUSTRALIAN DREAM & SOUND OF DRAWING
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 9
In March 2013, Polyglot marched together with
the Children’s Performing Company of Australia in
the Moomba Parade. A simple work reflecting the
parade’s movement and larger than life imagery
– this collaboration saw the creation of a massive
cane sphere that was subsequently rolled and
pushed and lifted down the Moomba Parade route.
KEY ACTIVITIES
WorkshopsVenue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South Yarra
Workshop date: 25 February 2013
Number of workshops: 1
Number of participants: 14
Creative collaborators: Children’s Performing
Company of Australia
Key artists: Directors Bronwyn Batten, Joseph O’Farrell
Venue: Moomba Festival, Melbourne CBD
Rehearsal dates: 2 March and 9 March 2013
Public OutcomeVenue: Melbourne CBD
Performance date: 11 March
Attendance: 7,000
Creative collaborators: Children’s Performing
Company of Australia
Key artists: Directors Bronwyn Batten, Joseph O’Farrell
MOOMBA PARADE
10 ANNUAL REPORT 2012
SEPARATION STREETCONCEPT DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SUITCASE ROYALE.
5 2 1 Q U E E N S B E R R Y S T R E E TN O R T H M E L B O U R N E V I C T O R I A 3 0 5 1
w w w . a r t s h o u s e . c o m . a uP h o n e : ( 0 3 ) 9 3 2 2 3 7 2 0
F a x : ( 0 3 ) 9 3 2 6 8 3 4 9
Separation Street is a large-scale experiential theatre
work exploring the blurred line between dreaming/
reality and truth/fabrication. It plays with perspective
and information, acknowledging that our
understanding of the world is affected by everything
we hear and by the people whose authority we
accept. Participants undertake one of two distinct
journeys, with adults following one path and children
another.
The 2013 creative development process involved
local schools Victorian College for the Deaf and the
Currajong School, with a public outcome in the form
of an exhibition at Pran Central and an invitation-
only showcase at the Arts House Meat Market. The
children involved as collaborators were also part of
the audience exploration, giving not only immediate
response to the work but considered feedback as well.
We welcomed International Artist in Residence Anna
Newell, Artistic Director of Replay Theatre in Belfast,
to this project.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Creative Development Workshops Workshop dates: 8 – 25 October
CultureLab: 9 – 21 November
Number of workshops: 22
Number of participants: 303
Creative Collaborators: The Currajong School, Malvern East The Victorian College for the Deaf
Key artists: Director Sue Giles, Designer Marg Horwell, Co-devisors Joseph O’Farrell, Miles O’Neil, Glen Walton, Sound design Stephen O’Hara, Lighting design Richard Vabre, Dramaturg Julianne O’Brien, Artist in Residence Anna Newell, Student placement Lily Youngsmith
Production: Rainbow Sweeny
Exhibition Venue: Pran Central, Prahran
Exhibition dates: 8 November – 1 December
Number of exhibition days: 23
Number of attendees: 37,599
Key artists: Design Marg Horwell, Build Glen Walton,
Installation assistant Lily Youngsmith
Production: Rainbow Sweeny
Showcase Venue: Arts House Meatmarket, North Melbourne
Showcase date: 20 November
Number of attendees: 50
Key artists: Director Sue Giles, Designer Marg Horwell, Performers Joseph O’Farrell, Miles O’Neil, Glen Walton, Sound design Stephen O’Hara, Lighting design Richard Vabre, Stage management and singing Anna Newell, Assistant stage management Lily Youngsmith Production: Rainbow Sweeny
FUNDING SUPPORTArts House CultureLab (Creative Development) Australia Council for the Arts (Theatre Board) Besen Family Foundation Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation Youth in Philanthropy
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/FoUrQicuUaY
“i really liked it because
at home I don’t get to
have much time away
from my parents” -
finn, 6
“we went into a
space ship and
were asked to
grab a bag. the
space ship shook.
i was scared but
wondering ‘What
was on the other
side?’” – nina, 9
11
SONAR
Sonar is a sound based installation which invites
interaction through listening and seeking. In
particular, sounds that link and connect to create
a message or emotion. Children from Dinjerra Primary
School teamed up with Polyglot to devise and test
drive this first experiment in responsive listening.
Participants explored the nature of listening in a
world where we are bombarded with sound, by
being encouraged to seek invisible sounds.
This work in development was a collaboration
between Polyglot, Madeleine Flynn and Tim
Humphrey.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Creative Development WorkshopsWorkshop dates: 3, 4 and 6 June
Number of sessions: 3 Creative collaborators: Grade 5 and 6 Dinjerra Primary School, Braybrook
Key artists: Sound Artists Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey, Director Sue Giles, Model Maker Fiona Edwards, Performer Lachlan MacLeod, Design Anna Tregloan
Production: Sarah Bianco, Lyndie Li Wan Po
FUNDING SUPPORT Arts Centre Melbourne Artist Development Program
“the curtain sounds
like a didgeridoo” –
ayse, 11
12 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
“i was blown away by
how well you captured
the interests of the
students, and portrayed
braille and sensory
activities in a fun yet
informative way” – kay
berry-Smith, principalTRAILBLAZER
Trailblazer was a world premiere for Melbourne
Festival in 2013. It was a work which enabled and
empowered children to lead and adults to follow.
Designed around the space at Federation Square,
this work explored the idea of adventure in a familiar
place, activated by site interventions and child-led
journeys.
The project involved five different interventions:
Bell Bird – a path of bells through which you walk
blindfolded; Sea Bubble See – a bubble wrapped
world of paths, sculptures and song; Kids Occupy – a series of tent installations using sound and texture
created in collaboration with Insight Education
Centre for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Stepping Stones – which literally were stepping stones; and
The Sleepers – who activated the forecourt with tent
puppets.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Creative Development WorkshopsWorkshop dates:10 – 12 September
Number of sessions: 6
Creative collaborators: Insight Education Centre
for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Berwick
Key artists: Design Katrina Gaskell, Director and
facilitator Sue Giles, Facilitator Jodee Mundy, Sound
artist Stephen O’Hara
Performance detailsVenue: Federation Square, Melbourne
Performance Dates: 19 – 20 October
Total Attendance: 6,000
Key artists: Design and build Katrina Gaskell, Sound
design Stephen O’Hara, Makers Teresa Blake,
Vanessa Ellis, Liza Freddi, Performers Christian Bagin,
Nick Barlow, Danielle Goronszy, Kiera Lyons, Jodee
Mundy, David Pidd, Ian Pidd, Emily Tomlins
Production: Toni Smith, Anneli Dyall
FUNDING SUPPORTCommissioned by the Melbourne Festival in 2013
Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Vision Impaired
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 13
VOICE LAB
Voice Lab is a new Polyglot interactive
process which underwent initial creative
development and exploration in 2013.
Voice Lab is a ‘creative laboratory’ program
that tests how we collect and receive opinions
from children. The project explores interesting
and effective ways for children to truly articulate
their own thoughts, feelings and creative ideas
about Polyglot’s work, about larger questions to
do with life, the universe and everything.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Creative Development WorkshopWorkshop dates: 19 – 20 September
Number of sessions: 6
Creative collaborators: Dinjerra Primary School,
Braybrook
Key artists: Facilitators Sue Giles, Bree-Anna
Obst, Lachlan MacLeod
Workshop dates: 10 – 12 September
Number of sessions: 4
Creative collaborators: Polyglot Underage
People Society (PUPS), South Yarra
Key artists: Director Sue Giles, Sound Lachlan
MacLeod, Facilitator Liza Freddi, Artistic catalyst
Alex Desebrock
SHOWCASE Venue: Arts House Meatmarket, North
Melbourne
Showcase date: 20 November
Number of sessions: 2
Number of attendees: 50
Creative collaborators: Polyglot’s Underage
People Society
Children from the Showcase audience
Key artists: Operator Justin Marshall, Voice Lab
design Lachlan MacLeod, Coordinator Lis Blake
FUNDING SUPPORTGandel Philanthropy
Voice Lab Appeal DonorsMiss Betty Amsden OAM, Sam Abrahams,
Simon Abrahams, Nicole Beyer, Laura Colby,
Dr Patricia Edgar AM, Ruth Giles, Damien
Hodgkinson, Rhiannon Keen, Miriam Kuttner,
Fiona Menzies, Avril McQueen, Dr Anne Myers,
Imbi Neeme, Naomi Nicholson, Julian Pocock,
Anna Schoo, Gail Southwell, Naomi Tippett AM,
Clare Watson, Julia White, Anonymous x 5
“tom asked me a
question at the end, into
my ear with the funnel.
“Who are you?” i found
myself going through the
list of the people i am –
it’s a big question, ‘who
are you?’” – sue giles
and tom, 7
14 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Showcase VictoriaVenue: Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
Performance dates: 3 April
Number of performances: 1
Total audience: 286
Key artists: Performers Danielle Goronszy,
Emily Tomlins
Production: Julie Wright
Federation SquareVenue: Federation Square, Melbourne
Performance dates: 8 – 14 July
Number of performances: 40
Total audience: 5,950
Key artists: Director Kate Kantor, Performers Christian
Bagin, Bronwyn Batten, Daniell Flood, David Pidd, Zak
Pidd, KT Prescott, Workshop artist Justine Warner
Production: Rita Khayat, Anneli Dyall
FUNDING SUPPORTOriginally commissioned by Federation Square
in 2012
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/uTsrJ_gspjw
ANTS
TOURING REPERTOIRE
Ants toured to a variety of locations in 2013, bringing
human-sized ants into public gardens, theatre
spaces and concrete city-scapes for a mixture of
roving performance and large scale interaction with
children and their adults.
Giant crumbs are scattered all over the ground in
public spaces creating a delicate and instinctive
landscape. The Ants are there to collect their winter
food and make order out of the random scattering
of crumbs. Children gradually follow the Ants in their
endeavor, bringing them crumbs and laying them
in patterns that stretch across the landscape like
mystical messages, interrupting the desire lines that
adults construct to get from A to B.
Ants is a quietly subversive event that brings children
into public spaces as workers and artists.
PERFORMANCE DETAILSOne Very Big Day Venue: Commonwealth Park, Canberra
Performance dates: 11 March
Number of performances: 6
Total audience: 1,050
Key artists: Performers Danielle Goronszy, Lachlan MacLeod, Emily Tomlins, Production assistant Penelope Bartlau
Production: Toni Smith
“that was
fantastic.
i haven’t seen
a play. i have
been a play…”
– louis, 7
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 15
HOW HIGH THE SKYHow High The Sky is an immersive theatre event
for babies and their adults that creates a shifting
world free from learned associations and adult
interpretations.
How High The Sky takes place in a warmly lit room,
where parent and child settle onto a soft white floor,
sitting amid fantastical balloon creations. Performers
move through the space, shifting balloons from one
constellation to another, playing with sound and
light as object and play fuse into an ever changing
evocation of the child’s own unfettered imagination.
This performance at the Latrobe Gallery during
October celebrated the final year of the Expecting Something? project.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Latrobe Regional Art Gallery Season Venue: Latrobe Regional Art Gallery, Morwell
Performance dates: 11 and 12 October
Number of performances: 4
Total audience: 133
Key artists: Director Jessica Wilson, Composer David
Franzke, Performers Nick Barlow, Michelle Heaven,
David Wells
Production: Rainbow Sweeny
FUNDING SUPPORTAustralia Council for the Arts (Theatre Board, Music
Board, Projects with Public Outcomes)
Arts Centre Melbourne
Helen Macpherson Smith Trust
Ian Potter Foundation
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/SFeSF6CjKcI
“for two minutes the pure
personality of each small
human being was strongly
present, reacting by
themselves, to what caught
at them and made them
still, or excited or whatever
– their true reaction to the
world around them placed
in a dramatic context.”
– nick
16 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Wesley Performi Arts Centre
Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
Glasshouse Arts, Conference
and Entertainment Centre
Capitol Theatre, Tamworth
Mackay Entertainment Centre
Riverway Arts Centre
Logan Entertainment Centre
The Centre Beaudesert
The Seymour Centre, Sydney
Ararat Performing Arts Centre
Burrinja, Upwey
Performance dates: 23 April – 12 July
Number of performances: 41
Total audience: 5,334
Key artists: Director Sue Giles, Composer Jim Foulton,
Performers Lachlan MacLeod, Bree-Anna Obst,
David Pidd (Auslan), Jodee Mundy (Auslan), Design
Kathryn Sproul, Lighting design Bronwyn Pringle
Production: Megan Fitzgerald, Emily O’Brien
FUNDING SUPPORT Playing Australia
Arts Victoria (Touring Victoria)
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/KrUppDPW0PQ
MUCKHEAP
“i loved that they
made a big mess”
– alvin, 6
2013 marked the end of an era for Muckheap,
a fun Polyglot classic about two people packing
up their house for ‘the big move’. The performance
made its way to 20 towns and cities across Australia
in its final national tour.
Finding all their hoarded junk too interesting and
entertaining to throw away, the characters in
Muckheap cope with their giant mess by throwing
themselves into a story, illustrated with whatever
comes to hand. What emerges is the highly physical
and energetic story of Jacky and the Beanstalk…
with a twist that parallels the characters’ own
situation.
The 2013 tour saw its 16th cast with Lachlan MacLeod
and Bree-Anna Obst and was an opportunity to
revisit the extraordinary Auslan/English bilingual
version of the show with performers Jodee Mundy
and David Pidd. The beautiful new set designed by
Kathryn Sproul gave this old trooper a fresh look.
Polyglot would like to pay tribute to all the casts that
have performed this work, including the originators,
Megan Cameron and Sarah Kriegler. And a special
thanks to Frankston Arts Centre for the staging of the
Auslan version.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Australian Tour
VenuesBunbury Entertainment Centre
Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
Cummins Theatre, Merredin
Camel Lane Theatre, Carnarvon
Kingston City Hall, Moorabbin
Karralyka Centre, Ringwood
The Memo, Healesville
“i have had the
best day
from you” –
katelin, 8
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 17
Regional Living ExpoVenue: Melbourne Exhibition Convention Centre,
Southbank
Performance dates: 19 April – 21 April 2013
Number of performances: 3Total audience: 224
Key artists: Performers Tirese Ballard, Danielle
Goronszy, Stefanie Robinson, Glen Walton
Production: Rita Khayat
Roola Boola FestivalVenue: Chapel-off-Chapel, Prahran
Performance dates: 3 July
Number of performances: 2Total audience: 104
Key artists: Performers Mischa Long, Justine Warner
Production: Rita Khayat
FUNDING SUPPORTOriginally commissioned by Federation
Square in 2011
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/xJG5_CGz3GI
PAPER PLANET
Paper Planet is a constantly evolving artistic work
created live by Polyglot Theatre artists, children
and their families using the simplest of materials:
paper and cardboard. Moving beyond audience
participation, Paper Planet is experiential, tangible
and wholly immersive. Participants populate an
impossible forest of cardboard trees with their own
creations and rustling paper selves, making costumes
and personalities out of paper, tape and their own
nimble fingers. Live sound activates the drama of
the space and adds to the wholly engaging and
absorbing tasks at hand.
In 2013 Paper Planet planted the seed with a
number of events and presenters across Melbourne
establishing valuable relationships for future
collaborations.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Darebin Arts CentreVenue: Darebin Arts and Entertainment
Centre, Preston
Performance dates: 22 – 25 January
Number of performances: 8Total audience: 1,087
Key artists: Design Mischa Long, Performers Bruce
Paterson, Stefanie Robinson, Justine Warner, Sound
Glen Walton
Production: Rita Khayat, Anneli Dyall
“that a paper world
is full of fun!” –
nina, 8
“you can do lots of
stuff with paper!” –
adam, 6
18 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
ROVING ACTS
Our Roving Acts performed across Victoria with
performances that engaged children and their
adults from theatre spaces to gardens and
community festivals. Tooth and Claw toured
to Albury, while Shopping Baby stirred great
amusement amongst exhibitors and the public at the
Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. All of
our Roving Acts are puppet based and interactive
– on the street and working with whoever comes
along. Polyglot is fascinated by the potential of the
chance engagement and how that affects our
perception of everyday life.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Australian VenuesKevin Wheelan Gardens, Sunshine
Regional Victoria Living Expo, Melbourne Exhibition
Convention Centre
Centro Lavington Shopping Centre, Albury
Whitehorse Civic Centre, Nunawading
Ovens Riverside Launch, Wangarratta
Drum Theatre, Dandenong
Lucas Dental Private Corporate Event
Number of performances: 27
Total audience: 18,790
Key artists: Performers Tirese Ballard, Penelope
Bartlau, Daniell Flood, Danielle Goronszy, Lachlan
MacLeod, KT Prescott, Stefanie Robinson, Emily Tomlins.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 19
Tangle is a large scale, interactive elastic weaving
event where children take control and create a
giant abstract tangly artwork which everyone owns.
It’s part live visual art installation, part performance,
part playground and all of it is fun.
On platforms resembling giant peg boards, with slim
golden poles towering above them, children and
their adults create a landscape together. Weaving
and threading coloured elastic around the poles
until the space becomes tangled and interwoven,
children create a stretchy bouncy playground,
fuelled by live music.
Tangle continues to be an inspiration, for artists and
participants alike. The ability to activate public
space in this spectacular and seemingly chaotic
manner is exciting – allowing Polyglot to showcase
the children’s innate expertise of energy, imagination
and play.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Perth International Arts FestivalVenue: Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge
Performance dates: 21 – 24 February
Number of performances: 8
Total audience: 3,431
Key artists: Performers Felicity Horsley, Lachlan
MacLeod, Stefanie Robinson, Justine Warner,
Sound and Music Justin Marshall
Production: Emma Dodd
WOMADelaide FestivalVenue: Botanic Park, Adelaide
Performance dates: 9 – 11 March
Number of performances: 9
Total audience: 1,965
Key artists: Performers Felicity Horsley, Bree-Anna
Obst, Glen Walton, Justine Warner, Sound and Music
Justin Marshall
Production: Emma Dodd
TANGLESouth Korea TourVenue: Daejeon Cultural Arts Centre, Daejeon
Garden 5, Seoul
Performance dates: 3 – 12 May
Number of performances: 13
Total audience: 4,036
Key artists: Performers Sabrina D’Angelo, Zoe Jones,
Jodee Mundy, Glen Walton Sound and Music Justin
Marshall
Production Manager: Emma Dodd
USA TourVenues: FIGat7th Shopping Complex, Los Angeles
Midland: Matrix Festival, Michigan
Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Michigan
Performance dates: 4 – 23 June
Number of performances: 63
Total audience:5,861
Key artists: Performers Felicity Horsley, Danielle
Goronszy, Emily Tomlins, Glen Walton, Sound
and Music Justin Marshall
Production: Emma Dodd
FUNDING SUPPORTArts Victoria International Program
(Export and Touring)
Australia Council for the Arts (Going Global)
VIDEO LINK http://youtu.be/BAYcG4cSkL8
“it was the most
amazing thing in
the world” – riley, 11
We Built This City, one of Polyglot’s iconic and
most enduring works, celebrated Canberra’s
100th birthday before returning to the United States
twice, and then heading to Japan. The performance
in Japan formed part of the community
installation during the We Built This Town project in
Minamisanriku.
This is an interactive play space for families which
celebrates the absolute simplicity and power of
children’s imaginations. Truly reflecting the cities it
tours, We Built This City is a giant construction site
that uses thousands of cardboard boxes and the
perspective and energy of children and their adults
to build a magnificent imagined city. Buildings go
up, are pulled down, redesigned, extended, walked
through and reconstructed before the whole thing
is knocked down into a gloriously chaotic heap of
cardboard rubble.
We Built This City has toured continuously since it was
commissioned by the City of Melbourne in 2001.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Canberra100Venue: Civic Square, Canberra
Performance dates: 7 – 9 March
Number of performances: 16
Total audience: 1,359
Key artists: Performers Penelope Bartlau, Danielle
Goronszy, Lachlan MacLeod, Emily Tomlins, Phil
McInnes, DJ Marky Mark
Production: Toni Smith
First USA Tour: OklahomaVenue: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Oklahoma
Performance dates: 27 – 29 June
Number of performances: 7Total audience: 1,381
Key artists: Performers Felicity Horsley, Danielle
Goronszy, Emily Tomlins, Glen Walton
Production: Emma Dodd
Second USA Tour: CaliforniaVenue: UCSD Revelle Plaza, La Jolla, California
Performance dates: 3 – 6 October
Number of performances: 6Total audience: 736
Key artists: Performers Danielle Goronszy, Mischa
Long, Lachlan MacLeod, Bree-Anna Obst
Production: Emma Dodd
FUNDING SUPPORTArts Victoria International Program
(Export and Touring, Cultural Exchange)
Australia Council for the Arts (Going Global)
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/8NEwCPGgpyw
WE BUILT THIS CITY
“this is too
awesome to
be possible”-
idanthe, 10
20
21
WORKSHOPSPolyglot’s workshops aim to foster relationships with
schools offering new ways to engage with the arts.
This year Polyglot offered interactive and flexible
workshops that catered for a wide variety of ages
and abilities, rolling out three new workshops that
aim to validate creativity and foster confidence
in children’s creative choice. We crafted specific
newsletters for teachers and schools and sought
feedback on our program for development next year.
NATIONAL WORKSHOPS
VenuesAmcor Lounge, Arts Centre Melbourne
Ardrie Park, Malvern East
Cromwell Road Theatre, South Yarra
Drum Theatre, Dandenong
ECLC International Kindergarten
Geelong Grammar
Heather Hill Primary School
MLC Kindle Campus, Kew
Moreland Community Childcare Co-op
Old Orchard Primary School
Roola Boola Festival, Chapel-off-Chapel, Prahran
Rowville Secondary College
Sandringham Primary School
St Anthony’s, Noble Park
St Kilda and Port Melbourne PS School Holiday
Program
Thomastown Library
Watsonia Library
Number of workshops: 37
Total Participants: 1,695
Workshop artists: Tirese Ballard, Sabrina D’Angelo,
Danielle Goronszy, Irene Holub (Victorian College
for the Deaf), Mischa Long, Gina Moss, Jodee
Mundy, Bree-Anna Obst, KT Prescott, Tamara Rewse,
Leah Scholes, Emily Tomlins, Justine Warner
Muckheap National Tour WorkshopsAs part of Muckheap’s National Tour, the performers
also ran creative workshops. This opportunity was
taken up by three venues. The workshops explored
themes of sustainability by repurposing junk
materials into puppets. The children learned skills
such as building and design, puppetry making and
performance, providing a deeper engagement with
the Muckheap story.
Venues: Cummins Theatre, Merredin
Mackay Entertainment Centre
Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
Number of workshops: 3Total Participants: 39
Workshop artists: Lachlan MacLeod, Bree-Anna Obst.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
22 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
In 2013 Polyglot returned to Mahogany Rise
Primary School with GRIT for their second successful
performance collaboration.
GRIT was an extended school residency project that
explored themes of resilience and transition with year
5s, 6s and 7s over an eight week workshop program.
Polyglot’s artistic team led by Director Kate Kantor
encouraged students’ exploration of performance,
puppetry, film, music and design, building their
sense of identity and creative confidence. Together
the students created a multi-artform performance
piece. The film elements of this work were presented
over two weeks at The Cube, Frankston Arts Centre.
This outcome invited students, the school community
and public to engage with the work in public places.
This project is looking forward to a third outcome
in 2014.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Workshops Venue: Mahogany Rise Primary School, Frankston
Workshop dates: 4 June – 9 August
Number of workshops: 36
Average participants per workshop: 28
Key artists: Collaborating children grade 5 and
6, Teacher Sarah Whymark, Director Kate Kantor,
Project manager Lis Blake, Design Karina Gaskell, Film
artist Jason Heller, Music Enio Pozzebon
Performances Venue: Mahogany Rise Primary School, Frankston
Performance date: 9 August
Number of performances: 2
Total attendance: 290
Key artists: Collaborating children grade 5 and
6, Teacher Sarah Whymark, Director Kate Kantor,
Project manager Lis Blake, Design Karina Gaskell,
Film artist Jason Heller, Music Enio Pozzebon
GRIT
Exhibition Venue: The Cube, Frankston Arts Centre
Exhibition dates: 17 – 27 October
Number of exhibition days:11
Total attendance: 1,100
Key artists: Director Kate Kantor, Production
coordinator Lis Blake, Film installation Jason Heller
GraduationGraduation date:12 December 2013
Key artists: Collaborating children Year 5 and 6,
Teacher Sarah Whymark, Graduation assistance Kate
Kantor, Lis Blake, Katrina Gaskell
FUNDING SUPPORTDepartment of Education and Early Childhood
Development (Strategic Partnership Program Triennial
Funding)
Newsboys Foundation
‘Of course it impacts on the
traditional delivery of the
curriculum. but it brings so
much more to the children and
to their learning. It sparks
creativity and different ways
of thinking about teaching
and learning.’ –
Sarah whymark, teacher
“we were in control.
they just told us how
to start it all. and
everything was our
idea. and they asked
us for our stories” –
year 5/6, mahogany
rise student
KIDS IN CONTROL
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 23
“there was one little boy
who didn’t think he could
come, and then when
he did come he yelled “i
come, i come, i come”, in
excitement – he made it” –
Justine Warner
TANGLE MOBILE
“the children became
so brave and so
instantly their
artwork created this
gorgeous, beautiful
space” – justine
warner
Tangle MOBILE saw Polyglot return to Shepparton
for a new project expanding on the award winning
Tangle MOTION model (Building Health through the
Arts, 2012).
Through a number of weekly workshops families from
Berry Street’s Foster Care playgroup, Polyglot artists
and the community explored creative play and
constructions using the aesthetics and material of our
popular Tangle installation. The project will continue
in 2014 with a public outcome at SheppARTon
Festival.
KEY ACTIVITES
Community Workshops Venue: Shepparton Baptist Church
Workshop dates: 14 October – 9 December
Number of workshops: 8Average Participants per workshop: 9Workshop artists: Tamara Rewse, Justine Warner
Project manager: Debby Maziarz
FUNDING SUPPORTBank of Melbourne Neighbourhood Fund
Gandel Philanthropy
RE Ross Trust
KEY ACTIVITIES
Community Workshops Venues: Bayside Arena, Minamisanriku
Iraya Primary School
Irumae Primary School
Shizugawa Primary School
Workshop dates: 30 October – 1 November
Number of workshops: 4Total participants:152
Key artists: Writer and photographer John Bailey,
Workshop artists Sue Giles, Mischa Long, Stefanie
Robinson, Kayo Tamura and Hidefumi Oshiro,
Theatre Gumbo
PUBLIC OUTCOMEVenue: Bayside Arena, Minamisanriku
Performance date: 2 November 2013
Number of sessions: 1Total attendance: 110
Key artists: Writer and photographer John Bailey,
Director and performer Sue Giles, Designer and
performer Mischa Long, Performer and maker
Stefanie Robinson, Performers and translators Kayo
Tamura and Hidefumi Oshiro, Theatre Gumbo
FUNDING SUPPORTAustralia-Japan Foundation
Arts Victoria International Program
(Cultural Exchange)
Polyglot returned to Minamisanriku, a town in
the earthquake and tsunami devastated region
of Tohuku, Japan, with a version of our touring
installation project We Built this City. This iteration
entitled We Built This Town saw Polyglot and
Japanese artists, working alongside children of
the town to create a beautiful miniature house
installation - reflecting a playful vision for the town
still undergoing reconstruction.
We Built This Town became an installation of the
children’s houses surrounded by a community
performance of We Built This City. The children built
beautiful little houses, made with tender care and
imaginative flair, which became an island installation
in front of the performance space.
Two Japanese artists from Osaka and three Polyglot
artists from Melbourne visited three schools in
Minamisanriku, drawing children in through this
process as well as the public outcome in the
community centre of the town. Along with the
project was writer John Bailey, whose perspective
provided a different take on what we hope to be a
long term affiliation. This project builds on Australia’s
ongoing relationship with Minamisanriku and with the
support of the Australian Embassy, Lend Lease and
ANZ bank volunteers.
WE BUILT THIS TOWN
“the children were having
so much fun. i never knew
that there is such a way
that children can enjoy
themselves. it was great
to see them smiling.”
– Jin Sato, mayor of
minamisanriku
“i’m a little saddened.
because if a child imagines
these buildings, in
minamisanriku area
there’s at least three or four
years before we’re making
buildings like this... i hope
the children keep imagining
like this, constructing
images. i hope they don’t
give up.” – yamamoto
hajime, construction
worker in minamisanriku
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 25
Expecting Something? was a two year community
workshop project working with young mothers
and babies in the East Gippsland area. Working in
partnership with community service providers, the
project developed a supportive and stimulating
space for young women who were pregnant or had
small children.
Led by director Jessica Wilson, artists took the lead
from the young participants – from their experiences
and inclinations – to co-create the final outcome.
Works included I Found My Feet – hundreds of
paste-ups of babies’ feet on walls, pillars and posts
across Morwell and parents could find the feet of
their own baby using a special map of the artwork.
This map also detailed the solar powered sound
installations on street corners, a collage artwork
in the main pedestrian underpass, and the public
exhibition of the women’s beautiful art works at the
Latrobe Regional Gallery. The gallery also hosted
performances of Polyglot’s How High The Sky.
Even more than this, Expecting Something? was
a project of firsts. This was the first time Polyglot
utilised the power of social media and a specialised
gifting process to engage with the young women
in cultural exchange, and to bring them together
as a supportive group. This experience has created
a stimulating and inspiring catalyst for the future
development of a community practice strategy
for Polyglot.
KEY ACTIVITIES
WorkshopsVenues: St Luke’s Church Hall, Morwell
Traralgon East Community Centre
Workshop dates: 7 March – 27 October
Number of workshops: 30
Average participants per workshop: 10
Key artists: Director Jessica Wilson, Project manager
Lis Blake, Visual artist Jordan Crugnale, Sound artists
Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey, Production
assistant Shaun Gardner, Visual artist Tina Matthews,
Social media administrator Claire Van der Velden
PUBLIC OUTCOME: EXHIBITION Venue: Community Access Gallery, Latrobe Regional
Gallery, Morwell
Exhibition dates: 5 – 20 October 2013
Number of exhibition days: 16
Total attendees: 450
Key artists: Director Jessica Wilson, Visual artist and
exhibition design Jordan Crugnale, Design assistant
Anna Farago, Production assistant Shaun Gardner,
Social media administrator Claire Van der Velden,
Project manager Lis Blake
FUNDING SUPPORT Australia Council for the Arts (Projects with Public
Outcomes)
Helen Macpherson Smith Trust
Ian Potter Foundation
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/T6W6EesSBSE
“so glad that I
joined expecting
something. i’ve met
some very amazing
people and mums”
– ebony
EXPECTING SOMETHING?
26 ANNUAL REPORT 2012
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
In 2013 Polyglot undertook a number of research and
evaluation projects focussing on our community and
school engagements.
Independent cultural researcher from the University
of Melbourne, Dr Ricci-Jane Adams, undertook
research of the two year Expecting Something? project and evaluated GRIT, the extended school
residency with Mahogany Rise, also in its second year.
Her research of Expecting Something? deeply
explored the nature of the region, the cultural
climate and the participants as a way of
exemplifying young people’s engagement in
the creative arts. Posing four research questions,
Dr Adams reported on the impacts of cultural
spaces on mother and baby; wider community
engagement; the viability and sustainability of artistic
process for the artist; and, sustaining a community
based on cultural acts. Dr Adams found:
1. The regular participants demonstrated increased
self-confidence, leadership skills, sense of identity,
political consciousness, social engagement and
emotional openness.
2. Alternative ways of thinking about the world are
permitted and encouraged and this is witnessed
by the participants. Acceptance of difference,
aesthetically and personally, is made possible.
3. Transparency about organisational intention
engages the right participants.
4. A cultural, aesthetic shift can take place amongst
even the most artistically inexperienced participants
with enough time and relationship building.
5. The public outcome, and the women’s
contribution to it, positioned them as experts in the
local community, and aligned them to a project
with the aim of community-wide positive change.
6. The artistic experience offers the participants an
alternative and positive lens through which to view
their pregnancies and their babies.
7. The role of a local young mum as the mentor in
the group was invaluable.
8. The model of community arts engagement
employed is essential to determine prior to the
engagement period.
9. Creating community and sustaining community
are separate and equally demanding tasks.
10. Genuine community connection can take place
through social media.
ANNUAL REPORT 2012 27
The evaluation of GRIT was designed to
improvement in creative confidence, skill and
expression; increased communications skills,
relationship building tools, coping mechanisms,
confidence and emotional literacy; and, increased
community awareness of young people’s creative
and emotional capacities. Dr Adams found:
In the 2013 partnership between Mahogany Rise
Primary School and Polyglot Theatre, all the elements
of the project worked together efficaciously. The
theme was supported by the process which in
turn contributed to a successful child-centred
outcome in which the community was engaged.
The achievement of the project aims was attained
through carefully building on the prior relationship of
the key stakeholders including students and artists.
This was evident in the successful project outcome
and the reported ongoing positive impacts of the
project on students. Students engaged with one
another, adults and their learning in unique and
dynamic ways. Students were positively challenged
to attain new skills and to test their own abilities.
All of them rose to the challenge and reported
an increase in their sense of creativity and a more
emotionally mature connection to peers. There was
opportunity to reflect and develop language around
creative experiences and activities. This supported
the development of an expanding emotional
literacy and self-awareness.
Dr Adams has worked with Polyglot since 2010 to
present reports and recommendations that have
significantly affected the company’s strategies and
practice. In 2013 Polyglot created a video summary
of this research. This partnership has been part of
Feed the Art and is of great importance to the
growth and maturity of Polyglot’s contribution to
the arts sector.
VIDEO LINKhttp://youtu.be/qeejS-0NS-o
28
POLYGLOT AROUND AUSTRALIA AND THE WORLD
Polyglot has grown considerably over the past year
maintaining key relationships with national and
international presenters.
Tamara Harrison, Executive Producer and Sue Giles,
Artistic Director attended numerous national and
international performing arts markets. Tamara’s
international focus for this year was to continue to
develop relationships in Singapore, South Korea
and China – particularly in building tour options
around Polyglot’s Play Space works and newest
experiential work How High The Sky. Attendance at
the Performing Arts Market Seoul (PAMS) was assisted
by the Australian Government through the Australia
Council. Tamara was also invited to attend the China
Super Trade Mission, supported by Department of
State Development, Business and Innovation, and
China SPAF (Shanghai Performing Arts Fair) exploring
business and trade connections with China.
Polyglot’s tour to Japan also built upon international
cultural collaborations within community settings.
These international relationships were supported by
the Australia-Japan Foundation and Arts Victoria.
Tamara joined the touring party for the West
Australian premiere of Tangle at the Perth
International Arts Festival this year. She established
relationships with key presenters, and councils in
preparation for 2014-15 programming opportunities.
Relationships with national presenters were further
bolstered by the Muckheap National Tour – truly
taking this Polyglot classic from the country’s leading
arts centres to its tiniest towns. This national tour
was supported by Polyglot’s community access
plan deepening engagement and accessibility with
regional audiences. National presenters had greater
flexibility to cater for their for audience interests.
Sue Giles attended the World Theatre Festival in
Brisbane meeting with international artists and
presenters looking at new practices in contemporary
theatre. As a leader in contemporary theatre
making for children she was able to share these
global insights with national colleagues in Victoria
and Tasmania as part of the Victorian Theatre
Meeting and Creative Connections in the Early Years
Forum. She also pitched Ants at Showcase Victoria
activating the courtyard space at Malthouse Theatre
for key Victorian presenters. Tamara also attended
Long Paddock.
General Manager Adi Diner attended the
International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY)
conference in Philadelphia. He accompanied the
touring team of Tangle as well as having meetings
Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Polyglot
is exclusively represented in North America by Elsie
Management.
FUNDING SUPPORTArts Victoria
Australia Council for the Arts
Australia-Japan Foundation
Department of State Development, Business
and Innovation
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 29
ARTS INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
This year reflected incredible change throughout
the industry with a refreshed vision for a Creative
Australia expressed by the Australian Government.
Throughout the year we saw these changes
reflected through the role of the artist, partnerships,
investment and entrepreneurship.
Polyglot’s arts industry development, networks and
leadership in the sector remains a strength within
the arts community throughout this time of change.
There is growing recognition of our contemporary
child-led practice, our national and international
reach and experience, and the role we have with
artist employment and inclusion.
Artistic Director Sue Giles presented at various
forums on the nature of this child-led process – a
process with inherent change and embracing risk,
curiosity, respect and expertise. Children are experts
in creative play and original thought, and through
this process we meet them in authentic artistic
collaboration.
We speak regularly with national colleagues to
define best practice and standards of operating
that reflect a great depth of knowledge and
experience across the board. For this purpose
Polyglot continues to organise the Artistic Director/
General Manager (AD/GM) network meetings
forging valuable connections between companies,
and aimed at sharing information and knowledge
providing opportunity for conversation and potential
collaboration.
Polyglot also regularly attends Theatre Network
Victoria meetings and initiatives, discussing
ongoing issues relevant to the sector. We continue
to advocate across all levels of government the
strength of a robust arts industry.
Our partnership with Perpetual Trustees, the Australian
Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and the
Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the
Department of Human Services enabled Polyglot to
pilot an artist support and training program ahead of
our tour to tsunami affected region Minamisanriku,
Japan. The aim of this program is to support artists
working with trauma affected communities nationally
and internationally.
In 2013, one of Polyglot’s core artists, Jodee Mundy,
independently created a film project, Worlds Within,
with Deaf communities wherever her travels have
taken her. While on tour with Polyglot she identified
a group in Korea and spent three days working with
them to add to the ever-growing story of the film. This is
a unique project that uses the poetry language of the
Deaf culture, Visual Vernacular, to illustrate action and
story with hands and bodies.
For our core artists, Polyglot formalised a one-on-one
artist support program, offering advice to independent
artists on funding, touring, budgeting, and providing
artists feedback on their work, as well as lending them
technical support and letters of commendation. In
2013, we gave them Space to Play.
30 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
SPACE TO PLAY
This year as part of Polyglot’s commitment to our
Feed the Art cultural model, Polyglot we established
an artist development program called Space to Play where independent artists were invited to develop
ideas, rehearse and work on their own creative
developments.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Creative Development – Dun Dun Daa Productions
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South YarraDevelopment dates: 6 – 28 MarchNumber of days: 8Key artists: Christian Bagin, John Forman
Creative Development – Elbow Room Productions
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South YarraDevelopment dates: 6 – 10 MayNumber of days: 4Key artists: Marcel Dorney, Angus Grant, Emily Tomlins
Creative Development – Lemony S Puppet Theatre
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South YarraDevelopment dates: 15 – 25 July14 – 19 OctoberNumber of days: 15Key artists: Sarah Kriegler, Jacob Williams
Creative Development – Feltface Productions
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South YarraDevelopment dates: 16 – 20 SeptemberNumber of days: 5Key artists: Heath McIvor, Alex Papps, Jimmy Stewart
Creative Development – More Female Parts
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South YarraDevelopment dates: 18 – 30 NovemberNumber of days: 10Key artists: Lois Ellis, Sara Hardy, Evelyn Krape
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 31
POLYGLOT’S AMBASSADOR CIRCLEPolyglot’s Ambassador Circle donor program remains
an important group of supporters for the company,
led by our great advocate and patron, Miss Betty
Amsden OAM. In 2013 our Ambassadors received
news and reports about Polyglot’s work and were
invited to attend special events with their families
throughout the year.
In June Betty Amsden hosted a lunch at Polyglot
for our Ambassadors, our supporting Trusts and
Foundations and the Polyglot Board. Despite the
cold theatre, guests were warmly welcomed by
Betty, Executive Producer, Tamara Harrison, and
Artistic Director, Sue Giles. Dr Ricci-Jane Adams also
presented a summary of her latest evaluation about
our work with Mahogany Rise Primary School in
Frankston North.
In October Betty joined our Ambassadors at
Federation Square for a tour of Trailblazer. Students
who collaborated on Trailblazer, their families, and
teachers from Insight Education Centre for the Blind
and Vision Impaired were there to experience the fun.
In November, our Ambassadors were invited to a
showing of Separation Street at Arts House in North
Melbourne. The showing tested our Voice Lab project, where the children of our Ambassadors and
audience were asked their opinion on the work they
had just participated in.
In December Polyglot held our end of year
celebration with Ambassadors, staff and Board
of Management at the house of Polyglot Board,
member and donor, Dr Patricia Edgar AM. It
was a great opportunity to thank our supporting
Ambassadors and Board for a fantastic year.
Last but not least, our Voice Lab Appeal was a
great success, coinciding with #GivingTuesday on
3 December 2013. We exceeded our target with
generous matched funding support from Gandel
Philanthropy and the combined generosity of all our
individual donors.
We thank all of our Ambassadors and donors for
their continued and crucial support of Polyglot. They
have a positive impact on building our capacity
to develop the next generation of artists, art lovers
and creative thinkers and with Betty’s leadership,
demonstrate that we can all have a philanthropic
spirit, no matter what our capacity.
CITY BENEFACTORMiss Betty Amsden AO
TOWER AMBASSADORJohn Chew
HOUSE AMBASSADORJohn Gutteridge
Greg Shalit and Miriam Faine
Kate Taylor and Greg Ireton
BOX AMBASSADORSam Abrahams
Simon Abrahams
Nicole Beyer
Diana Burleigh
Burt-Chew family
Dr Patricia Edgar AM
Robyn, Steph and Matt
Hale in memory of Geoff
Hale
Rev Fr Michael Elligate
AM
Ruth Giles
Damien Hodgkinson
Rhiannon Keen
Fiona Menzies
Angela O’Brien
Anna Schoo
Emily Sexton and John
Bailey
Tim and Lynne Sherwood
Naomi Tippett AM
Fiona Wahr and Julian
Pocock
Julia White
Anonymous x 3
32 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
THANK YOU
Mario Agostonini
Allegra, Cath, Coco, Dan, Derek,
Ethan, Evie, Hal, Hugo, Ian J, Ian
P, Jarvis, Jonah, Karl, Leo, Nina,
Orla, Phil, Rei, Richard, Rosie,
Stella, Tom and Zak
Julie Adams at Latrobe
Regional Gallery
Dr Ricci-Jane Adams
Miss Betty Amsden OAM
Polyglot’s Artistic Catalyst
Group: Madeleine Flynn, Tim
Humphreys, Julianne O’Brien,
and Anna Tregloan
Rebecca Asp and Claire
McClelland, the Culture Mamas
Michael Baxter
Lin Bender AM, Michelle
Springall, the Trustees and team
at Helen Macpherson Smith
Trust
Nicole Beasley and Sandra
Ponton from Platinum Travel
Nicole Beyer at Theatre
Network Victoria
Catherine Brown, Anita
Hopkins, Kim Sullivan, the Board
and team at the Lord Mayor’s
Charitable Foundation
Judy Buchan and Creative
Partnerships Australia
Aslan Buyukyazici and Team at
Fracht Melbourne
The original Muckheap Team:
Megan Cameron, Sarah
Kriegler, Cosmo Cosmolino,
Graeme Davis, Paul
Newcombe, Jane Hartnell and
the 16 Muckheap casts over
its 10 years of touring: Megan
Cameron, Heath McIvor,
Keira Lyons, Victoria Osborne,
Monica Brasher, Justine Warner,
Dan Goronszy, Dave Selwick,
Janine Watson, Jacob Williams,
David Pidd, Jodee Mundy,
Sheryl Cardozo
Jeff Challis and AAKonsult
Consulting
Miguel Cochofel
Laura Colby, Sabine Dabady,
Anna Amadei and all at Elsie
Management in New York
Michael Carty at Colorific
Storage Solutions
Emma Costello, Amaya Courtis,
Bree Mansell, Tatia Sloley, Mary
Thompson at TS Publicity
Jordan Crugnale
Debbie Dadon and the Trustees
at the Besen Family Foundation
Peter Davis at ANZ and
the team of Minamisanriku
volunteers
Vedran Drakulic, Michelle
Hayward, the Trustees and
team at Gandel Philanthropy
Robert DeAngelis
Anneli Dyall
Federation Square especially
Matt Jones and Renee Dudfield
Alison Fonseca
Andrew Gauci at Lend Lease
and the team of Minamisanriku
volunteers
William Hall – Ants looks
amazing in the gardens
Big thanks to Michelle’s children
Winnie and Marlo who were
our production assistants for
How High The Sky in Morwell
Anita Hopkins
Michiyo Horita and Ikuko
Kohara from the Australian
Embassy in Tokyo
Greg Ireton, Darryl Wade and
Catherine Colvin
Paul Jackson and Inkburn
Printing
Bo-Young Lim and the staff at
the Australian Embassy, Korea
James Lipari
Lyndie Li Wan Po
James O Lucas and Megan
Boyd at Lucas Dental Care
Grace Lee, Robb Woulfe,
Debby Buccholz, Phyllis Sabin,
Shirley Elliott and Debra Simon
Lyn Mckie and all at Berry Street
Nicole McLeod, Claire Rimmer, the
Board of Governors and team at
the Ian Potter Foundation
We give huge thanks to all the children and adults who were part of our creative processes this year, and to our partners and families who are of enormous support in so many ways.
PolyglotacknowledgesAboriginalandTorresStraitIslandersareAustralia’sfirstpeoples and the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri, Boonerwrung, Taungurong, Djajawurrung and the Wathaurung people of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respects to elders past and present.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 33
Debby Maziarz
Candy Mitchell and the City of
Melbourne
Monique McNamara and the
team at UP&UP Creative
Paul Matthews
The people of Minamisanriku,
Japan
Keiko Millar for her time
and assistance toward
Minamisanriku project
Anita Noller and team at
the Bank of Melbourne
Neighbourhood Fund
Bree-Anna Obst
Toby Ovadia at Smart Records
Group
Jennifer Owen at Flyspace
Productions
Jan Panettieri
Chantal Paton at Quantum
Perpetual Trustees for building
our capacity
Emily Pollnitz and Amanda
Panayotou from the Australia
International Cultural Council
Peter Redden, Rhylla Mitchell
and the City of Stonnington
Eda Ritchie AM, Louise
Kuramoto, the Trustees and
team at RE Ross Trust
Sandy Shaw, Kerrie Bradburn
and the Board at Newsboys
Foundation
Lee Hyun Sil (Zoe Jones)
Stephanie Su at Chop Suey
Design
Julia Topliss, Jim Koutsouris and
Amber Henry at Web Prophets
Yumi Umiumare
Leonard Vary, Neal Harvey, the
Board and team at the Myer
Foundation
Volunteers Dara Collins, Alec
Gutteridge, Lowan Major and
Tessa Wells
Sarah Walker for capturing us
beautifully!
Julia White and the rest of our
amazing Board: Jamie Dawson,
Dr Patricia Edgar AM, Tom
Gutteridge, Rhiannon Keen, Dr
Angela O’Brien, Johanna Platt
and Tim Woods
Sarah Whymark, John Culley
and Daniel Riley
Juliet Woo and the team at
Austrade Korea
All the women, babies and
parents involved in creating
I Found My Feet
Thanks to all of our non-Polyglot family and friends for supporting us, forgiving our absences and helping us find the playfulness in the rest
of our lives. We would also like to sincerely thank and acknowledge the support our many volunteers who generously give their time to
support the company and teachers and kids from Mahogany Rise, Victorian College for the Deaf, Insight Education Centre for the Blind
and Vision Impaired, Dinjerra, Currajong and Stonnington Schools.
34 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Triennial Funding Partners
Corporate Partners
Philanthropic Partners
Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Vision Impaired
5 2 1 Q U E E N S B E R R Y S T R E E TN O R T H M E L B O U R N E V I C T O R I A 3 0 5 1
w w w . a r t s h o u s e . c o m . a uP h o n e : ( 0 3 ) 9 3 2 2 3 7 2 0
F a x : ( 0 3 ) 9 3 2 6 8 3 4 9
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Project Partners
Market Development Funding Partners
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 35
Department of State
Development, Business
and Innovation, Victoria
(Theatre Board, Music Board, Projects with Public Outcomes)
Dinjerra Primary School, Braybrook
Victorian College for the Deaf, Melbourne
(Strategic Partnerships Program)
(Community Partnerships, Cultural Exchange)
Currajong School, Malvern East
36 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT2013 INCOME
International
Government
Workshops
Trusts
Sponsorship
12%
37%1%
2%
23%
Other3%
22%National
2013 EXPENSES
Other
Admin
Marketing
Touring
Artistic
Production
10%
25%
5%
17%
26%
17%
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 37
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Our Board continues with the policy of ‘good
governance and good humour’ with bi-monthly
Board meetings, Monthly Finance Sub-committee
meeting, monthly and two annual Board planning
days. Changes within the board membership have
heralded a change of energy and focus, with a
more strategic and political approach creating
opportunities for lobbying, networking and more
rigorous action around fundraising.
DIRECTORS LISTThe Directors of the Company at any time during or
since the end of the 2013 calendar year were:
Julia White, Chair Board Member since March 2009 ___________________________________________________
Member of Finance Sub-Committee
Currently Philanthropy Manager with Zoos Victoria,
Julia has a wealth of experience working in the not
for profit sector in both marketing and development.
Most recently employed as Development Director
at Melbourne Theatre Company, Julia has also
worked with Frankston Arts Centre, The Australian
Ballet School, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
and Melbourne Festival, acquiring skills in venue
management, touring and event management as
well as marketing and fundraising.
Tom Gutteridge, Deputy Chair Board Member since October 2009 ___________________________________________________
Tom Gutteridge is the Artistic Director of Union
House Theatre. He was the former Artistic Director,
Black Swan Theatre Company Perth. Performance
and multi-media creator, with credits including
mainstage, opera and theatre direction, sound
design and composition, and dramaturgy and
writing across all live and digital media. Tom has
worked with Melbourne and Queensland Theatre
Companies; Australian, Queensland and West
Australian Opera Companies.
Johanna Platt, Treasurer Board Member since April 2008 ___________________________________________________
Member of Finance Sub-Committee
Johanna works as General Manager Financial
Planning and Analysis for Kraft Foods. Prior to
this Johanna held corporate executive positions
as Financial Controller Sales at Cadbury and
Commercial Manager at Mayne Nickless. Johanna
has an MBA from Melbourne Business School.
Dr Angela O’Brien, General Secretary Board Member since April 2011 ___________________________________________________
Dr Angela O’Brien is a Barrister-at-law and
independent consultant with specialist expertise
in the areas of dispute resolution, education and
the arts. In 2009 she retired from the University of
Melbourne where she was an Associate Professor,
Deputy Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
and Discipline Chair of Creative Arts in the School of
Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts.
Jamie Dawson Board Member since February 2012___________________________________________________
Jamie is a Producer/Director with over 20 years’
experience engaging communities across a wide
variety of artistic and creative programs. He has
held senior management positions with Queensland
Theatre Company, The Pleasance Theatre
(Edinburgh), Circus Monoxide and Merrigong Theatre
Company (NSW). He was Artistic Director of Sydney
Children’s Festival, a creative and performing
arts children’s festival, Executive Producer at
Carriageworks, Sydney’s newest a contemporary
arts and culture centre, and Executive Director
of Platform Hip Hop Festival, Australia’s largest all-
encompassing hip hop and street art festival.
38 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Jamie is currently Coordinator of Arts and Cultural
Development for the City of Greater Dandenong,
encompassing cultural development and planning,
festivals and events, public art and heritage
programming.
Dr Patricia Edgar AM Board Member since February 2012 ___________________________________________________
Founder and inaugural head of the Australian
Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), Patricia
Edgar was also the architect of the Australian
Children’s Television Standards and founder of the
World Summit Movement, hosting the first World
Summit on Media for Children in Melbourne in 1995.
She is a teacher, researcher, producer, writer and
experienced policy maker. Her programs have
garnered more than 100 national and international
awards. She is the author of 10 books, numerous
articles and reports and widely recognized as an
authority in the media field.
Rhiannon Keen Board Member since March 2012 ___________________________________________________
Rhiannon is an Associate Director in KPMG’s
Economics and Government Advisory Services
practice. She has a strong interest in politics,
public policy and advising government on the
efficient allocation of resources. Rhiannon previously
worked as a ministerial adviser at both a State and
Federal level, working for the Victorian Leader of
the Opposition, the Office of the Prime Minister, and
Minister for the Environment. Rhiannon has worked
in Hong Kong, as well as in London, working for the
now British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Rhiannon
also has a Master or Public Policy and Management
(Economics) from the University of Melbourne and a
Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications).
Tim Woods Board Member since July 2013 ___________________________________________________
Member of Finance Sub-Committee Tim is Director of Tim Woods Entertainment and has
over twenty years’ experience in the theatre industry
both nationally and internationally. He has recently
joined the Board and Finance Sub-Committee.
Feb Mar May July Nov Dec Totals
Julia White ü ü ü ü ü ü 6
Tom Gutteridge ü ü ü ü ü ü 6
Johanna Platt ü ü ü ü ü 5
Angela O’Brien ü ü ü ü 4
Jamie Dawson N/A N/A N/A 0
Dr. Patricia Edgar AM ü ü ü 4
Rhiannon Keen ü ü ü ü ü ü 6
Tim Woods ü ü ü 3
Total Present 6 5 5 6 6 6
2013 POLYGLOT BOARD MEETING ATTENDANCE
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 39
AUDITOR'S INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION UNDER SECTION 307C OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 TO THE DIRECTORS OF POLYGLOT THEATRE LTD
I declare, that to the best of my knowledge and
belief, during the year ended 31 December 2013
there have been:
(i) no contraventions of the auditor
independence requirements as set out in
the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the
audit; and
(ii) no contraventions of any applicable code
of professional conduct in relation to the
audit.
Name of Firm: Alan Dredge & Co Pty LtdChartered Accountants
Alan Dredge FCA
Address: 16 Hill Street, Richmond VIC 3121
Dated this 20th day of February 2014
40 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2013 POLYGLOT THEATRE LTD. ABN 86 099 894 147
INCOME 2013 $ 2012 $
Grants
Arts Victoria 185,352.00 193,686.00
Australia Council 247,280.08 137,600.00
Local Government Funding 54,069.00 37,800.00
DFAT Grants 30,000.00 25,000.00
Other Government Funding 97,870.79 86,250.45
Philanthropic Organisations 381,250.00 203,203.00
Total Grants Income 995,821.87 683,539.45
Other Earned Income
Performance & Audience Sales 581,774.61 639,872.63
Resources Income 20,182.87 64,440.11
Sponsorship & Fundraising 23,395.00 19,885.00
Business Related Income 19,365.36 18,198.73
Total Earned Income 644,717.84 742,396.47
TOTAL INCOME 1,640,539.71 1,425,935.92
EXPENSES
Administration 706,576.92 628,110.26
Marketing & Promotion 77,433.01 61,501.63
Production Costs 818,712.72 705,981.36
TOTAL EXPENSES 1,602,722.65 1,395,593.25
Surplus(deficit)fortheyear 37,817.06 30,342.67
Other Comprehensive Income:
Net gain on revaluation of financial assets - -
Other comprehensive income for the year - -
Total comprehensive income for the year 37,817.06 30,342.67
Total comprehensive income attributable to the members of the entity 37,817.06 30,342.67
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 41
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2013 POLYGLOT THEATRE LTD. ABN 86 099 894 147
ASSETS 2013 $ 2012 $
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents 582,123.25 615,613.67
Other current assets 154,626.66 112,039.34
Total Current Assets 736,749.91 727,653.01
Non-Current Assets
Property, plant and equipment 10,965.93 7,816.85
Total Non-Current Assets 10,965.93 7,816.85
TOTAL ASSETS 747,715.84 735,469.86
LIABILITIES
Current Liabilities
Trade and other payables 63,555.80 48,421.89
Provisions 36,449.55 18,988.80
Other current liabilities 393,256.33 446,700.00
Total Current Liabilities 493,261.68 514,110.69
Non-Current Liabilities
Provisions 11,803.78 16,525.85
Total Non-Current Liabilities 11,803.78 16,525.85
TOTAL LIABILITIES 505,065.46 530,636.54
NET ASSETS 242,650.38 204,833.32
Equity
Retained earnings 242,650.38 204,833.32
TOTAL EQUITY 242,650.38 204,833.32
42 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013 POLYGLOT THEATRE LTD. ABN 86 099 894 147
Retained earnings Total
$ $
Balance at 1 January 2010 223,158 223,158
Surplus (deficit) attributable to members 729 729
Balance at 31 December 2010 223,887 223,887
Surplus (deficit) attributable to members (49,397) (49,397)
Balance at 31 December 2011 174,490 174,490
Surplus (deficit) attributable to members 30,343 30,343
Balance at 31 December 2012 204,833 204,833
Surplus (deficit) attributable to members 37,817 37,817
Balance at 31 December 2012 242,650 242,650
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 43
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWSFOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013 POLYGLOT THEATRE LTD. ABN 86 099 894 147
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 2013 $ 2012 $
Receipts from customers 1,481,921.15 1,663,212.23
Payment to suppliers and employees (1,527,666.56) (1,384,517.68)
Interest received 18,042.08 16,928.07
Net cash provided for operating activities (27,703.33) 295,622.62
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Payment for plant and equipment (5,787.09) (3,800.00)
Net cash provided for investing activities (5,787.09) (3,800.00)
Net increase (decrease) in cash held (33,490.42) 291,822.62
Cash at beginning of financial year 615,613.67 323,791.05
Cashatendoffinancialyear 582,123.25 615,613.67
44 ANNUAL REPORT 2013
The directors of the company declare that:
The directors of the company declare that:
1.The financial statements and notes, as set out
on pages 49 to 50, are in accordance with the
Corporations Act 2001 and:
(a) comply with Accounting Standards – Reduced
Disclosure Requirements; and
(b)give a true and fair view of the financial position
as at 31 December 2013 and of the performance for
the year ended on that date of the company.
2. In the directors’ opinion there are reasonable
grounds to believe that the company will be able
to pay its debts as and when they become
due and payable.
DIRECTORS’ DECLARATION
This declaration is made in accordance
with a resolution of the Board of Directors.
Director:
Johanna PlattTresasurer
Dated this 1st day of April 2014
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 45
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF POLYGLOT THEATRE LTDABN 86 099 894 147Report on the Financial Report I have audited the accompanying financial
report of Polyglot Theatre Ltd which comprises the
statement of financial position as at 31 December
2013, and the statement of comprehensive income,
statement of changes in equity and statement of
cash flows for the year then ended, notes comprising
a summary of significant accounting policies and
other explanatory information, and the directors’
declaration.
Directors’ Responsibility for the Financial ReportThe directors of the company are responsible for
the preparation of the financial report that gives
a true and fair view in accordance with Australian
Accounting Standards – Reduced Disclosure
Requirements and the Corporations Act 2001 and
for such internal control as the directors determine is
necessary to enable the preparation of the financial
report that is free from material misstatement,
whether due to fraud or error.
Auditor’s ResponsibilityMy responsibility is to express an opinion on the
financial report based on my audit. I conducted
my audit in accordance with Australian Auditing
Standards. Those Standards require that I comply
with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit
engagements and plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial
report is free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain
audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures
in the financial report. The procedures selected
depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the
assessment of the risks of material misstatement of
the financial report, whether due to fraud or error. In
making those risk assessments, the auditor considers
internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation
and fair presentation of the financial report in order
to design audit procedures that are appropriate
in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
entity’s internal control. An audit also includes
evaluating the appropriateness of accounting
policies used and the reasonableness of accounting
estimates made by the directors, as well as
evaluating the overall presentation of the financial
report.
I believe that the audit evidence I have obtained is
sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my
audit opinion.
Independence
In conducting my audit, I have complied with the
independence requirements of the Corporations Act
2001. I confirm that the independence declaration
required by the Corporations Act 2001, which has
been given to the directors of Polyglot Theatre Ltd,
would be in the same terms if given to the directors
as at the date of this auditor’s report.
Opinion
In my opinion, the financial report of Polyglot Theatre
Ltd is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001,
including:
i. giving a true and fair view of the company’s
financial position as at 31 December 2013 and of its
performance for the year ended on that date; and
ii. complying with Australian Accounting Standards
– Reduced Disclosure Requirements and the
Corporations Regulations 2001.
Name of Firm: Alan Dredge & Co Pty Ltd Chartered
Accountants
Name of Director: Alan Dredge FCA
Address: 16 Hill Street, Richmond VIC 3121
Dated this 15th day of April 2014
More InformationPolyglot Theatre
27a Cromwell Road, South Yarra
Victoria 3141 Australia
T +61 3 8060 4680
[email protected]#Theatreischildsplay
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