Known for their experimental approach to creating theatre for young audiences, Theatre-Rites celebrate their 30th anniversary this year. With puppetry expert, Dr Sue Buckmaster at the helm as Artistic Director, this innovative visual theatre company focuses on ‘object-led’ theatre, celebrating visuals and promoting cross-artform collaboration. Their latest production (a co-pro with Factory International), Return to the Forest adheres to this ethos, fusing puppetry and contemporary dance in an immersive production that explores culture and heritage.
We begin in a museum, close to closing time, where the audience is invited to take a look at the objects on display. As the exhibition shuts up shop for the night, we move to the perimeter and a maze of ‘lasers’ springs up to protected the treasured artefacts. Before long, bodies are weaving deftly in and out of this maze as a heist takes place before our eyes. A laser triggered, the intruders quickly disperse with their haul, and soon we’re following them into a magical forest where the stolen (or are they liberated?) artefacts take on a life of their own.
It’s a captivating and thought-provoking production, which engages the audience throughout a 90 minute running time, although there are some slightly slower moments towards the middle. Despite being billed as a promenade piece, it quite quickly turns into a rather static experience for the audience, and could probably do with a couple more shifts of location to increase the immersion (and reduce the discomfort of sitting on the floor).
Almost entirely non-verbal, the narrative unfolds visually, driven by the dance elements choreographed by Gregory Maqoma and supported by the use of Theatre-Rites’ trademark puppets (designed by Alison Duddle, Naomi Oppenheim and Sue Buckmaster with Gelede mask made in collaboration with Bunmi Augsto).
It’s a visual feast, featuring some truly spectacular lighting design by Guy Hoare, which not only enhances the scenery but forms an integral part of it. An ethereal soundscape (by co-composers and sound designers, Frank Moon and Domenico Angarano) heightens the senses and further draws the audience into the enchanted environment.
The performers (Mayowa Ogunnaike, Natnael Dawit, Simon Palmer, Teele Uustani and Xolisile Bongwana) are excellent, both individually and as a collective, offering mesmerising movement alongside some comedy elements. We were especially impressed by Xolisile Bongwana, who not only captivates as a dancer but also offers some of the most memorable musical moments.
The action ends with a return to the museum, where children are selected to crawl under the lasers and interact with new objects, before everyone is invited to join together in a celebration of dance.
As is typical from Theatre-Rites, this production may be designed with young audiences in mind but it’s certainly not exclusively a production for children. Like all the best family theatre, it is every bit as enjoyable for adults as it is for children. With an age recommendation of 8+ and a challenging 90 minute running time, it could easily lose the attention of the intended audience entirely, but it certainly didn’t suffer from this at the press performance.
The litmus test for us is Quaver who has always been a puppetry sceptic and, at 12 years old, has reached that awkward stage of objecting to anything that appears to be aimed at children. She complained repeatedly en route to Sadler’s Wells, declaring that she hates theatre, so I awaited her verdict with some trepidation. Not only did she offer her views on Return to the Forest without being asked, but they were overwhelmingly positive. She loved the dance elements and was incredibly impressed by the performers. She didn’t even object to the puppets! There is no greater endorsement than that of a moody tween and therefore no better place to end this review.
Return to the Forest played at Sadler’s Wells East from 28 to 30 May 2026. We received complimentary tickets to the press performance on 28 May. It is due to be adapted into a traditional theatre show at Blackpool Grand.
Image credit: Tristram Kenton