ISANGO ENSEMBLE and ENSEMBLE '84 Presents
Mother Courage and Her Children
ISANGO ENSEMBLE and ENSEMBLE '84 Presents
Mother Courage and Her Children
Written by BERTOLT BRECHT
Translated and Adapted by LEE HALL
Directed by MARK DORNFORD-MAY
Music by MANDISI DYANTIS
Survival, sacrifice, and the devastating cost of conflict.
Isango Ensemble & Ensemble ‘84 brings Lee Hall’s (Billy Elliot, Rocketman) electrifying adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s 1939 play, Mother Courage and Her Children, to Live Theatre. This is theatre at its most urgent and alive - a gripping story of survival, sacrifice, and the cost of war, infused with rhythm, song, and fierce theatricality.
Against the relentless backdrop of the Thirty Years’ War, Anna Fierling, better known as Mother Courage, fights to keep her business and family intact. Dragging her canteen wagon from battlefield to battlefield, she profits from war while doing everything in her power to protect her three children from its destruction. But as the conflict rages on, she is forced to navigate impossible choices, where survival comes at an unforgiving price.
Bringing fresh urgency to this tale of resilience and moral compromise, this bold new production unites Lee Hall’s sharp adaptation with the soaring presence of South Africa’s globally celebrated Isango Ensemble, led by Paulina Malefane, and the collective power of Ensemble '84’s North East voices. With music by Mandisi Dyantyis, directed by Mark Dornford-May and performed in the immersive setting of Live Theatre, Brecht’s vision is presented as a visceral, music-driven experience that speaks fiercely to the world today. Local and global stories collide, bridging histories and cultures through a shared language of struggle, endurance, and song.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Wartime profiteering rarely sounded so good' THE GUARDIAN
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'A wondrous feat of theatrical alchemy' THE TIMES
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Timeless and placeless. Almost impossible to believe this is the company’s first outing' THE STAGE
'A performance of stunning accomplishment, full of conviction and utterly compelling' CULTURED NORTH EAST
'Deeply emotional, often celebratory, sometimes heartbreaking' NARC MAGAZINE
LIVE THEATRE REVIEWS
'A really engaging performance that keeps a lively pace...entertaining and inspiringly provocative too.' NORTH EAST THEATRE GUIDE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'It is a play that will resonate with today's audiences...It is such a joy to see new, raw North East talent at its best' THE REVIEWS HUB
'the entire cast shine...an enthralling production' BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
'each cast member breathes life into their character...tells the original story impeccably' NARC
2025 NE CULTURE AWARDS FINALISTS:
- Newcomer Of The Year
- The Arts Council England Award
- Performance Of The Year
