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HELLO!

My name is Glen Walton, as the artistic director of Playable Streets I'm very lucky to work with great artists, composers and engineers to engage and re-connect communities through collaborative art in public spaces, at home and online. (more here: about). I have also worked as a performer, theatre-maker, musician, puppeteer, producer, set builder, DJ and all round DIY tinkerer! Over the last 20 years I've collaborated on some great projects developing both theatrical and musical creations.

Email me to talk about working together - hello@playablestreets.com

 

THEATRE

“Visionary, emancipated and transformational… A work of theatre achingly undiluted joins the soul of madcap anarchy found in the best of the Marx brothers to the self-sufficient purity found in traveling tent shows.”
— Pittsburgh City Paper (Describing The Suitcase Royale)

I am a founding member of The Suitcase Royale Theatre Company whose unique blend of music and 'Australian Gothic' narratives has accrued much critical acclaim worldwide. The Suitcase Royale have developed 6 award winning theatre shows that have been presented in comedy festivals, arts festivals and makeshift theatres around the world. I also work as performer, musician and collaborator with Polyglot Theatre, touring large scale outdoor interactive children's performance both nationally and internationally. I have had the pleasure of touring extensively throughout Australia, North America, Europe and The UK, including Melbourne International Arts Festival, Edinburgh Festival & Soho Theatre - UK, Ruhrfestspeile & Erlangen Puppet Festivals - Germany, the Andy Warhol museum - Pittsburgh USA and the Canadian fringe circuit, South Korea and Sumatra. Separation Street is an interactive multi art theatre piece created through collaboration between Polyglot Theatre, The Suitcase Royale and Children from the Victorian College of the Deaf and Currajong primary school. Separation Street illuminates the relationships between adults and children, and explores notions of power and control, isolation and belonging. Winner Green Room Awards (2015): Innovation in Contemporary Performance for Young People 2015.

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The Suitcase Royale

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POLYGLOT THEATRE

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SEPARATION STREET

MUSIC

I am a founding member of the 5 piece "TropPop" party band Mighty Duke and the Lords, our high energy live show has fired up dance-floors from Meredith Music Festival, Falls Festival, Dark MOFO and Nelson Arts Festival, NZ to name a few. I also DJ under the moniker Burning Sandals specialising in all sounds tropical, wicked and wild. Oh and a solo project called Wolf Von Trapp, influence of filmic soundscapes and folk story telling. I have created soundscapes and performed live foley for The Listies show Earworms and Polyglot’s Paper Planet and Light Pickers. Musical Chairs by Invisible Orchestra is an Interactive Music work for children, collaborating with Matt Kelly and Andrew Callaghan. I've worked as a technician and sound operator for Bronwyn Batten's Sweet Child of Mine and The Last Tuesday Society.

INVISIBLE ORCHESTRA

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MIGHTY DUKE AND THE LORDS

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WOLF VON TRAPP

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DJ BURNING SANDALS

HARD TO CATEGORISE…

Drawbridge was a collaboration with Sue Giles (Polyglot Theatre) and comic book artist Michael Fikaris in Duri, Sumatra. The two week project connected an international school and a local Sumatran school through imagery, puppetry, narrative and song. Radio Roulette is a wild, live non-stop event that attempts to understand the entire world through amateur radio. It provides audiences with the chance to meet HAM radio club members and make connections with others around the globe. eBay’s Hump Shopping Network was a 4x4 hr Facebook LIVE informercial-meets-late-night show broadcast, produced in collaboration with PLOT MEDIA and VICE. 

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'DRAWBRIDGE' PROJECT DURI, SUMATRA

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HUMP SHOPPING NETWORK

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RADIO ROULETTE BY WIREDLAB

BUILDING

I have built for music video sets: a cardboard bus for Darren Hanlon and a whole cardboard city for Susie Scurry, a double bass from an old suitcase and some floorboards and a fully functional crumpet gun. I helped build some Yurts in beautiful Alaska as well... 

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DARREN HANLON - MUSIC VIDEO

CHATTANOOGA SHOOTSHOOT

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SUSIE SCURRY - MUSIC VIDEO

COME ON

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BUILDING YURTS IN ALASKA

RESEARCH/ PUBLICATIONS

I am currently a PhD candidate at Deakin University researching the creation of interactive art and performance using interpersonal touch. in 2018 I completed a Masters degree at the University of Technology, Sydney (part of the Creativity and Cognition Studio) studying interactive touch-based musical installations. I have presented a paper of findings from Playable Streets' In Touch installation at OZCHI (Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction) 2016. Before that (2002 - 2004) I completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts (Major in Theatre) at Deakin University.

Academic Publications:

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MASTERS THESIS

Walton, G., 2018. Designing interactive touch-based musical installations.

Walton, G., Greuter, S. and Dennis, R., 2022, June. Exploring participant interaction with interpersonal touch musical interfaces. In Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 28-31).

O’Neil, M., Austin, H., Borthwick, C., Macindoe, A., Saulwick, T. and Walton, G., 2022. Sonic Touch: Charting connections in contemporary sound-led performance practice. Performance Research, 27(2), pp.64-71.

Other Publications:

“The environments that Polyglot creates are venues for instant collaboration” - Polyglot Education News 29 October 2018

RESIDENCIES

In July 2017 I got to spend 2 weeks at the amazing Cowwarr Art Space Garden Studio. I spent the time studying audience participation of Playable Streets' The Plants and started to develop Reach Out Sounds for the Coburg Carnivale. 

In April/ May 2018 I spent a week at the Jacky Winter Gardens working on a new work for Playable Streets. The amazing surroundings inspired me to work on the design of a new work as well as start experimenting more with plants as musical interfaces.  

Sept/ Oct 2018 I completed a residency at the Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol. I met some great folks working on amazing projects that connect with communities all around the world. I was also part of the Australian delegation at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria.

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JACKY WINTER GARDENS RESIDENCY

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COWWARR RESIDENCY

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PERVASIVE MEDIA STUDIO BRISTOL

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ARS ELECTRONICA

TALKS/ PRESENTATIONS

Strangers as collaborators

In this talk Glen will discuss, play in public spaces and the development of work that embraces the spirit of DIY. Glen will also discuss findings from his recent Masters thesis which identifies ways to encourage the journey from 'observer' to 'participant' within public installations. Oh, and there will be some hands-on demos as well!

Presented at: Pervasive Media Studio Lunchtime Talk

Interactive technologies for musical collaboration

How do we encourage the journey from 'observer' to 'participant' of public installations? Playable Streets create interactive installations that invite participants to become musical collaborators. Through his work Glen explores experimental instruments and collective musical play.

This talk will discuss an iterative approach to developing new work by harnessing the spirit of DIY. It will cover some of the nuts and bolts of getting work out of the workshop and into the public space. Glen will also discuss the importance of collaboration with other artists, engineers and the community.  

Presented at: Technische Universität Berlin, SensiLab Monash University

REVIEWS PUBLISHED ONLINE

  1. Leo Brown, Simon, 23/8/16, In Touch interactive exhibition encourages adults and kids to play with artwork, ABC News, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-23/in-touch-exhibition-ringwood-encourages-play/7773042

  2. McCutcheon, Lauren, 6/4/16, Kiddin’ Around: PIFA’s for kids too, with the must-do Paper Planet, Philly.com http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/things_to_do/20160405_Kiddin__Around__PIFA_s_for_kids_too__with_the_must-do_Paper_Planet.html

  3. Weisz, Kristi, 29/9/15, Fringe Festival Reviews: Separation Street; Period, MOJO NEWS, http://mojonews.com.au/fringe-festival-reviews-separation-street-period/

  4. Pithie, Kristian, 23/9/15, Separation Street, Arts Hub, http://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/performing-arts/kristian-pithie/separation-street-249374

  5. Harker, Pip, 23/4/15, Entirely Charming Idiocy, Theatre Review, http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=8045

  6. Morris, Colin, 6/3/14, Review: The Ballad Of Backbone Joe, Stuff.co.nz, http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/nz-festival/9797668/Review-The-Ballad-of-Backbone-Joe

  7. Sherritt, Lauren, 15/10/12, Zombatland | The Suitcase Royale, Australian Stage, http://www.australianstage.com.au/201210145905/reviews/brisbane/zombatland-/-the-suitcase-royale.html

  8. Coles, Jen, 18/3/12, Junkyard sets and a caravan full of twisted humour, Theatre Press, https://theatrepress.com.au/2012/03/18/review-the-suitcase-royale-present-zombatland/

  9. Varrenti, Elly, 16/3/12, Zombaland, The Sydney Morning Herald, http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/stage/zombatland-20120315-1v82k.html

  10. Sas, Nick, 17/2/12, Concert Review: The Suitcase Royale, The West Australian, https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/12938838/concert-review-the-suitcase-royale/

  11. Louis, Thom, 14/8/11, The Suitcase Royale in Zombatland, Broadway baby, http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/the-suitcase-royale-in/19414

  12. Wechter, Aleksei, 28/9/10, The Ballad Of Backbone Joe | The Suitcase Royale, Australian Stage, http://www.australianstage.com.au/201009283891/reviews/sydney/the-ballad-of-backbone-joe-%7C-the-suitcase-royale.html

  13. Logan, Brian, 14/8/10, Edinburgh Festival 2010: The Ballad of Backbone Joe, The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/aug/13/the-ballad-of-backbone-joe

  14. Watts, Richard, 7/4/09, The Suitcase Royale Space Show, The Age.com.au, http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/arts-reviews/the-suitcase-royale-space-show/2009/04/06/1238869891604.html

  15. Beaumont, Ursula, 24/2/08, The Ghosts of Ricketts Hill | The Suitcase Royale, Australian Stage, http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/adelaide/the-ghosts-of-ricketts-hill--the-suitcase-royale-1151.html

  16. Brennan, Lissa, 8/11/07, Madcap Australian troupe The Suitcase Royale marry adult themes and childlike imaginations, Pittsburgh City Paper, http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/madcap-australian-troupe-the-suitcase-royale-marry-adult-themes-and-childlike-imaginations/Content?oid=1339299

GLEN WALTON CREATIVE WORKS (Detailed)

It got a bit hard to keep track of all the work, I’ll update this again one day…

2017

  • Sounding Stories (Playable Streets), 13 Nov. - 10 December, ArtSpace, Ringwood, Vic.

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe (The Suitcase Royale), 12 - 22 October, New Zealand Tour (Various Venues).

  • Musical Chairs workshops (Invisible Orchestra) 19 - 21 September, Newport Lakes Primary School, Vic.

  • Reach Out Sounds (Playable Streets), 12 - 23, Coburg Carnivale, Coburg, Vic.

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), January 20 - 28, China Tour.

  • Cowwarr Residency (Playable Streets), 16 - 29 July, Cowwarr Arts Space.

  • Sounding Stories workshops (Playable Streets), 3 - 12 July, Ringwood.

  • Hump Month (with PLOT MEDIA, eBay and VICE), June, Facebook Live.

  • The Plants (Playable Streets), May 15 - 21, Abbotsford Convent.

  • Clippy 'Virtual Creatives in Schools' workshops (Playable Streets), March 6 - 17, Lismore Primary School, VIC

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), January 20 - 28, Shanghai, China Tour

2016

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe (The Suitcase Royale), November, Regional Arts Victoria Tour (Various Venues)

  • Musical Chairs (Invisible Orchestra), November 4 - 6, Northcote Town Hall

  • In Touch (Playable Streets), August 2 - 23, ArtSpace REALM

  • We Built This City (Polyglot), June 20 - 29, Tampa Arts Centre FL

  • Polyglot USA Tour, April 5 - May 4, Various Venues including the Philadelphia Arts Centre.

  • Playable Streets Test Sites, Feb 28 - March 3, City Square Melbourne

  • Tangle (Polyglot), January 19 - 24, Arts Centre Melbourne

2015

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), November 27 - 30, Geelong Library Theatre

  • Sound of Drawing (Polyglot), 29 Oct. - November 1, Artspace REALM

  • Global Communication Radio Club (Wired Lab), 15-18 October, Fusion Festival, Wagga Wagga

  • Separation Street Final Development & Premiere, 31 August - 4 October, Northcote Town Hall (Melbourne Fringe)

  • Sound of Drawing (Polyglot), 28-30 August, Lucknow Primary School, Bairnsdale

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), 25 June - 13 July, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

  • One Eyed Jacks (The Suitcase Royale), 12-13 June, Cradle Mountain, Dark Mofo, Tasmania

  • Polyglot USA Tour, 28 May - 10 June, Various Venues inc. 42nd Street New York

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe (The Suitcase Royale), 20 - 26 April, Wanaka Arts Festival, NZ

  • Sound of Drawing (Polyglot), 9 -11 April, Latrobe Regional Gallery

  • Invisible Orchestra (Development), 9 - 20 February, Darebin Arts Centre, Melbourne, Vic.

2014

  • Drawbridge (Collaboration with Polyglot), 17 - 30 November, Duri, Sumatra, Indonesia

  • The Dad Show (Technician), 6 - 8 November, Kyneton, Vic.

  • Earworms (The Listies), 6 - 13 October, Awesome Arts Festival, Perth

  • Guy Pearce ‘Fly All The Way’ (Set Build), 27 Sept. - 1 October, Melbourne, Victoria

  • Separation Street (Development), 11 - 29 August, Northcote Town Hall, Vic.

  • Earworms (The Listies), 7 - 9 July, Wollongong Arts Centre, NSW

  • Earworms (The Listies), 14 - 16 March, 10 Days On The Island, Tasmania

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 4 - 10 March, New Zealand Arts Festival, Wellington, NZ

  • Electronics Workshops, 24 - 28 February, Candle Bark Primary School, Vic.

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), 2 - 7 February, Perth International Festival, WA

2013

  • Separation Street (Development), 2 October - 21 November, Polyglot Theatre, Vic, Currajong Primary, Victorian College for the Deaf

  • Earworms (The Listies), 24 - 26 September, Riverside Theatre, NSW

  • The Dad Show USA Tour (Technician), 3 - 23 September, Neo Futurist Theatre, Chicago, USA

  • Polyglot USA Tour, 4 June - 3 July, Various Venues, USA

  • Earworms (The Listies), 22 May - 3 June, Brighton Festival, UK

  • Polyglot South Korea Tour, 1 - 14 May, Various Venues, South Korea

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), 18 - 21 April , Convention Centre, Vic

  • Tangled (Polyglot), 7 - 12 March, WOMAD, Adelaide, SA

  • Paper Planet (Polyglot), 21 - 25 January, Darrebin Arts Centre, Melbourne, Vic

  • Earworms (The Listies), 14 - 19 January, Sydney Festival, NSW

2012

  • We Built This City (Polyglot), 8 - 12 November, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Tas.

  • Zombatland, 23 - 27 October, Hothouse Theatre, Albury.

  • Zombatland, 10 - 20 October, Brisbane Powerhouse.

  • Sticky Maze (Polyglot), 6 - 9 September, Newman, WA

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 14 - 16 June, Adelaide Festival Centre, SA.

  • Polyglot USA Tour, 10 - 31 May, Various Venues, USA

  • Zombatland, 21 April, Norpa, Lismore City Hall.

  • Zombatland, 14 - 18 March, Arts House, North Melbourne

  • The Suitcase Royale, 16 February, Perth International Arts Festival

  • The Suitcase Royale, 3,10, 17, 24 February, Brisbane World Theatre Festival.

  • Tangled (Polyglot), 17 - 22 January, Arts Centre, Melbourne, Vic.

2011

  • The Suitcase Royale Residency, 1 - 30 November, Campbelltown Arts Centre NSW.

  • The Suitcase Royale, 21 September, The Brisbane Arts Festival

  • Zombatland, 4 - 30 August, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Festival

  • Zombatland, 17 - 20 July, Battersea Arts Centre, London

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 4 - 16 July, Soho Theatre, West End, London.

  • We Built This City (Polyglot), 2 - 4 July, National Theatre, London, UK. 

2010

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 22 Sep - 2 Oct, Sydney Theatre Company.

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 4 - 29 August, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Festival

  • The Suitcase Royale, 17 July, Latitude Arts Festival, Suffolk England.

  • The Suitcase Royale, 18 July, Battersea Arts Centre, London.

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 10 - 13 February, Brisbane Powerhouse.

  • The Suitcase Royale, 21 January, Sydney Arts Festival.

2009

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 9 - 12 June, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Germany

  • The Space Show, 29 May - 2 June, N20 Festival Battersea Arts Centre, London

  • Felix Listens to the World, 24 May, Internationales Figuren Theatre Festival, Erlangen, Germany

  • The Space Show, 1 - 26 April, Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

2008

  • Newsboys, 15 - 20 October, Melbourne International Arts Festival

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 6 - 20 September, Soho Theatre, West End London

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 5 - 8  September, Dublin Fringe Festival

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 15 - 17 August, Darwin Festival

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 3 - 6 June, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Germany.

  • The Ballad of Backbone Joe, 28 June- 5 July, Federation Square Puppet Festival

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 15 May, Adelaide ASSITEJ Festival

  • The Ghosts Of Ricketts Hill, 19 March - 12 April, Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 28 February, Adelaide Festival Centre APAM Showcase

  • The Ghosts Of Ricketts Hill, 19 - 25 February, Bosco Theatre Adelaide Fringe Festival.

2007

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 8 - 10  November, Andy Warhol Theatre Pittsburgh PA, USA.

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 2 - 26 August, Bosco Theatre Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 5 - 30 April, Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 15 - 31 March, Bosco Theatre Adelaide Fringe Festival

2006

  • Felix Listens to the World, 18 - 25 November, Awesome Arts Festival, Perth.

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 2 - 18 June, Black Lung Theatre Melbourne

  • Chronicles of a Sleepless Moon, 16 - 26 February, Next Wave Cultural Festival, Melbourne

  • Felix Listens to the World, 21 - 26 March, Adelaide Fringe Festival

2005

  • Felix Listens to the World, 20 - 22 October, Melboourne International Arts Festival.

  • Felix Listens to the World, 24 May - 2 September, North American tour, Motreal Fringe, Winnipeg Fringe, Winnepeg Fringe, Edmonton Fringe and Radiohole Theatre, New York.

  • Felix Listens to the World, 9 - 11 March, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne

2004

  • Felix Listens to the World, 22 Sep - 9 October, Melbourne Fringe Festival.