Theatre-Rites

Creating beautiful and though provoking theatre for children since 1996. Our work tours outdoors and indoors across the UK and internationally and puppetry is always at the heart of each production.

Award-winning Theatre-Rites is a field leader in the creation of experimental theatre for children, since 1996 we’ve pioneered cross-artform theatre for children and family audiences.  We make indoor and outdoor touring productions as well as immersive productions.

“Who says that theatre for the very young can’t be great? Not me, and certainly not Theatre-Rites, who have been creating shows as good as anything made for adult audiences for more than 20 years” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

Led by our Artistic Director, world-renowned puppetry expert Dr Sue Buckmaster, we specifically promote understanding and enjoyment of ‘object-led’ theatre and celebrate the power of visuals, puppetry and animation by working in genuine collaboration with designers, visual artists, film-makers, puppeteers, musicians, composers, actors and dancers. We tour across the UK, providing access to the highest quality theatrical experiences for children and their families that help them to understand the most pressing issues of our time. Our raison d’être is to offer children and families theatrical experiences that are challenging and inspirational, with the same high-quality production values, excellence and integrity as the very best adult theatre.

Our work has been commissioned by a wide range of venues, festivals and organisations including Sadler’s Wells, Schauspielhaus Bochum and the Burgtheater Vienna as well as  Manchester International Festival, The Barbican, The British Library, Vienna Festival, Salzburg Festival and the Ruhrtriennale Festival.

Recent productions have included Eshu at the Crossroads(for ages 4 plus) a dance and puppetry collaboration with Afro Cuban choreographer Miguel Altunaga for outdoor touring supported by Without Walls and co-commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Birmingham Weekender and Brighton Festival; Something in the Air (for ages 3 plus) co-production with Schauspielhaus Bochum in Germany; Journey of a Refugee (for ages 8 plus) an immersive production for London Borough of Culture 2024 and adapted from The Welcoming Party co-produced with Manchester International Festival and the Ruhrtriennale Festival.