Eshu at the Crossroads
Presented by Dance Umbrella
About Eshu at the Crossroads
LIMITED EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE*
A tale of choice, trickery and joy for audiences aged 5+
Afro-Cuban choreographer Miguel Altunaga joins forces with pioneering puppetry company Theatre-Rites for a vibrant family adventure inspired by Yorubic culture, myth and storytelling.
A traveller in search of a road to take, a magical rooster guarding the crossroads and Eshu the trickster spinning chaos and joy at every turn. Blending dance, live performance and puppetry, Eshu at the Crossroads invites audiences into a magical world where every choice can change your path.
Part of Dance Umbrella Festival 2026
*The Early Bird discount applies at checkout
Virtuosic Afro-Cuban choreography and transformational puppetry brought wonder and joy to huge audiences at Greenwich & Docklands International Festival's Greenwich Fair in 2025
Bradley Hemmings, Artistic Director of Greenwich & Docklands International Festival
About Miguel Altunaga
Miguel Altunaga is an Afro-Cuban choreographer who started his career as a dancer at Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, Rambert, Hofesh Schechter Company, Akram Khan Company, and Lost Dog. Since then, Miguel has shifted his career and is an emerging choreographer whose work is inspired by his Yorubic culture.
www.miguelaltunaga.com
About Theatre Rites
Theatre-Rites is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and field leader in the creation of beautiful and thought-provoking theatre for children, which often explores complex issues such as migration, the climate crisis and neuroscience.
Celebrated for their use of puppetry under the leadership of puppetry expert Dr Sue Buckmaster, Theatre-Rites are acclaimed nationally and internationally. They create touring productions and immersive, site-responsive productions that stir the imagination and stimulate thought, and have attracted high profile commissioners including Schauspielhaus Bochum, Salzburg Festival, Manchester International Festival, Barbican, Sadler’s Wells and Ruhrtriennale Festival.
www.theatre-rites.co.ukAbout Sue Buckmaster
Sue Buckmaster is the Artistic Director of Theatre-Rites, a puppetry expert and the fifth generation of theatre practitioners in her family. She is known for her unique puppet whispering technique and her work exploring animism.
Sue has created over 30 site-specific and theatre productions for Theatre-Rites including MIF17’s The Welcoming Party. She has worked with a wide variety of companies as a dramaturg and director including the National Theatre and the Akram Khan Company.
Sue holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex and is the co-author of Theatre-Rites: Animating Puppets, Objects and Sites with Dr Liam Jarvis. She is an Advisor for Sadler’s Wells and Polka Theatre.
About Dance Umbrella
Dance Umbrella is London’s international dance festival, taking place every October across the capital and online.
Cast & Creatives
Director: Sue Buckmaster
Choreographer: Miguel Altunaga
Composer: Domenico Angarano
Puppet Maker: Naomi Oppenheim
Performers: Edie Edmundson, Zia Husbands, Amari Webb-Martin
Credits
Originally supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Birmingham Weekender and Brighton Festival
