Children and families returning to The Egg this month will step into a forest when The Living Tree enjoys an eight day residency at Bath’s much-loved children’s theatre from 11-18 September.
The Living Tree by artist Andrew Amondson, Studio Manager at the famous Berlin-based Studio Olafur Eliasson, is presented in partnership with Forest of Imagination. With a real forest floor, a five metre tall structure, sound and light, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a fantastical outdoor-indoor installation.
“We can’t wait to welcome family audiences back to The Egg this autumn and we’re thrilled to be showcasing The Living Tree during our opening week,” said Kate Cross, director of The Egg. “Over 200 children from primary, secondary and special schools will be visiting us to enjoy the installation here in Bath, and there are lots of opportunities for the general public to experience The Living Tree too. It’s free of charge and we’d love to see you, just check out our weekend and after school timetable and pop in!”
To bring his community activated installation to The Egg, artist Andrew Amondson has shared his Living Tree concept with artists and collaborators in Bath. The twisting geometry of the Living Tree is constructed using sustainably sourced thinnings from a local woodland and is co-designed by Charley Brentnall from Xylotek and Alexandre Mballa-Ekobena, and realised by Carpenter Oak with support from Shedworks.
The native plants and natural elements in the Living Tree Forest have been generously provided by Andrew Grant of Grant Associates and Piers Taylor of Invisible Studio. In addition, Roxana Vilk, the Vilk Collective and Squidsoup have designed a Circle of Magical Musical Lights, alongside I Am An Insect, an immersive 3D soundscape composed by Gabriel Ware and produced by Martyn Ware for Illustrious Co Ltd.
The Living Tree installation is free to explore – families can call into The Egg to enjoy the experience between 11am to 5pm on Sunday 12 September, or between 4pm to 6pm on Monday 13, Tuesday 14, Thursday 16 and Friday 17 September, with no requirement to pre-book.
There are also a number of free, ticketed activities taking place whilst The Living Tree is at The Egg. On Saturdays 11 and 18 September at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, Roxana Vilk and the Vilk Collective will perform Circle, featuring 30 minutes of live music and dancing, accompanied by immersive sound and lighting created by tech company Squidsoup.
On Monday 13 September, Wood For The Trees, an activity for pre-school children will take place with a session for youngsters aged 18 months to 2½ years at 9.30am, followed by a session for 2½ to 4 year olds at 11am. Wood For The Trees comprises a 30 minute workshop to discover and create sound stories, guided by the music of a cello and sounds made with found objects, followed by 30 minutes play time at the installation. Tickets for Circle and Wood For The Trees are free, but must be booked in advance.
On Saturday 18 September, children aged 5 to 9 years who believe in magic are invited to visit The Society for the Protection of Magical Creatures (SPMC) at The Egg for a pre-booked 20 minute workshop between 11am – 5pm. Fostering imagination and creativity, this playful activity sees youngsters adopt an invisible Magical Creature in a lightweight cardboard pet carrier to care for at home. Following their introductory workshop at The Egg, participants will receive a handbook and weekly text messages to help with creative tasks with support from the SPMC Helpline.
The Society for the Protection of Magical Creatures has been created by Aurora & Bath Cultural Education Partnership (BCEP), a partnership of Bath arts organisations, including The Egg, House of Imagination, Bath Festivals and The Holburne Museum.
The Living Tree is at The Egg from Saturday 11th September to Saturday 18th September. For further details or to check opening times call The Egg on 01225 823 409 or visit https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/event/living-tree/