When the World Turns

Join us on an adventure, where your senses lead the way. You will become part of a fantastical world where animals, plants and objects are brought to life all around you. Here you can fully be yourself. Here, you are an important part of the eco-system.

This immersive, sensory performance will take you into the heart of a living landscape, featuring surround-sound, singing, lights, shadows, scents, water, puppetry and over 300 plants. When the World Turns playfully explores our connection with each other and the world around us.

When the World Turns is an award-winning, accessible show from the pioneers of Sensory Theatre, Oily Cart. You can expect small audience numbers to allow for lots of up-close sensory moments, a gentle pace, and plenty of breathing space for processing. The show has been expertly crafted for and with disabled children of all ages who experience the most barriers to access (children who have been labelled as having profound and multiple learning disabilities.)

When the World Turns, a collaboration between Polyglot Theatre (AUS) and Oily Cart (UK), was originally commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne for major arts and disability festival Alter State 2022. The development and premiere was supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons Board, the British Council and the Australian Government as part of the UK/Australia Season, with further support from the Cassandra Gantner Foundation, State Trustees Australia Foundation, the Jennifer Prescott Family Foundation, the Marian and E.H. Flack Trust, ArtPlay, Arts Council England and ecoDynamics.

The UK version of When the World Turns has received support from Arts Council England, The Boshier-Hinton Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Wandsworth Council, funders that wish to remain anonymous and individual donors.