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West End stars Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley
to perform at Cadogan Hall for one off
concert
Saturday 10th May 2025, 7:30pm
Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ

Champions of the hit ITV series Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley, will perform in an exclusive concert at Cadogan Hall on Saturday 10th May. Presented by Olivier Award nominated production company Lambert Jackson Productions, rising stars Stevie and Tobias will bring audiences’ favourite musical theatre duets to life for one evening only this spring.

The pair, who rocketed to popularity through the ITV show and their portrayals of Sophie and Sky in the West End production of Mamma Mia, will perform theatre hits from a wide range of shows.

For her role in the smash hit ABBA show, Stevie Doc was nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Professional Debut Performance. Following his stint as heartthrob Sky, Tobias Turley’s acting credits include Kurt Kelly and Understudy JD in Heathers The Musical (The Other Palace); West Side Story (Ljubljana Festival); Giovanni Pernice: Made In Italy (UK Tour); Sleeping Beauty (Mansfield); The Nutcracker (Birmingham Royal Ballet); Magic of Animation and Carousel in Concert (both West End Does at Cadogan Hall). He is currently appearing in White Rose: The Musical at the Marylebone Theatre.

Lambert Jackson Productions was founded by Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson in 2018. Over the past six years, they have rapidly become known for their impressive roster of large-scale concert productions of musicals and innovative approach to bringing exciting shows to audiences across the globe. Notable works include Cruise, which was nominated for an Olivier Award for ‘Best New Play’, the worldwide stage premiere of Brokeback Mountain, and their work online during the pandemic, which created worldwide sensation Leave a Light On! which allowed actors throughout the UK to sell tickets to shows from their own living room, earning Jamie and Eliza a spot in the Stage 100 in 2020.

Lambert Jackson’s CEO, Jamie Lambert, comments, We are so excited to be working with Stevie and Tobias – they are two phenomenal talents and true emerging West End stars.

Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon – until 5th April 2025

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

5*****

Edward II is not for the feint hearted. Chock full of fights, feuds, treachery and subterfuge, Christopher Marlowe’s play about a king’s misjudged union and loyalty with ‘minion’ Piers Gaveston, is brutal, and bloody, but also quite touching in the hands of director Daniel Raggett. Liberal cutting back of the original text makes for a 1hr 40-minute viewing with no interval. The action is thick and fast, slick and thriller like. Just when you think you have a grasp on what is happening, another curve ball is thrown in.

There was no shying away from the same sex relationships explored in this rendition, but this is not what seemed to infuriate the nobleman and the monarch’s wife. It was more about the lack of Edwards leadership ability, his care for his country and his concerns for his family. Who the king was having a relationship with was incidental. It was the fact his obsession with Gaveston, a lowborn, and the gifts he bestowed upon him were depleting reserves, unravelling his marriage and destroying England. It was quite refreshing to watch this and not feel like the relationship was being sensationalised.

The RSC’s co-artistic director, Daniel Evans, plays the king magnificently, traversing through a range of emotions effortlessly. The playful, innocent, almost impish love that he shares with Gaveston is wholly believable. Then comes thunderous rage leading to utter heartbreak as he rotates though the 7 stages of grief masterfully. A truly incredible performance. Eloka Ivo presents a self-assured, swaggering Gaveston, tinged with an edge of threat, he balances Evans giddiness wonderfully. Ruta Gedminta is superb as simmering Queen Isabella, bitter and resentful at her husband’s public indiscretions. The Earls, Mortimer, Enzo Cilenti, Pembroke, Emilio Doorgasingh, Warwick, Geoffrey Lumb, and Lancaster, Evan Milton, are cunning conspirators. Machination’s alike but for different purposes, causes and outcomes, they are wonderfully played. Jacob James Beswick as Lightborn is terrifying, for all the right reasons.

Leslie Travers’ set is a muted, movable feast, transforming alongside the action. If you arrive before the play begins you are invited to pay your respects to the late king, which is a lovely bit of audience interaction. A raised stage slides back and forth to become various areas with a murky reveal at the end. There are LED frames and moments flash up as if photographs had been taken by the paparazzi. The costumes range from military to contemporary to juxtapose the nobles and low born. Fight director Kev McCurdy manages to present some violent and vicious scenes in a convincible and credible fashion. Tim Lutkin’s lighting adds much to the atmospheric gloom and ultimate doom of the play.

This rendition of Edward II is a remarkable and relentless assault on the senses. Barbaric, brisk and bewitching throughout, the horror of the final scenes will haunt you for a long time.

Arcola Theatre – until 29 March 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

The decision to confront the man who has been having a steamy correspondence with your wife when that man is locked up in a high-security psychiatric hospital may not be the wisest thing to do, but Dave tends to follow his heart rather than his head.

Dave (Ben Simpson) starts writing to Martin (Alex Mugnaioni), and goes to visit him in the hospital, Clearpoint, described by a fellow visitor as looking “like Hogwarts, but with more locks.” Martin, obviously bored with the fellow inmates and staff, listens to Dave listing his wife’s other affairs and agrees to stop writing to Dave’s wife. In return he will help Dave rekindle the sparks in his marriage and become a stronger man. Martin’s toying with Dave, and his willingness to appear amiable, is puzzling until it is revealed that his review is approaching and having a friend who visits and could perhaps write a positive reference is his new strategy to get transferred out to prison.

Martin’s crimes are never explicitly mentioned, apart from ominous statements about reading the transcripts and a delightful squirm and groan from Dave when he finally finds the correct Martin Miller on Google. Madeleine Brettingham’s hilarious script doesn’t need Martin’s past to be described, as the manipulation and cruelty he displays are enough to make you squirm. What makes him terrifying is the ease with which he can flash a suave smile and turn on the charm.

The odd couple bromance that develops is obviously one-sided at first, and the chemistry between the actors is glorious as hapless and trusting Dave is bamboozled by Martin’s advice laced with barely hidden barbs and insults. Getting relationship advice and life coaching from a psychopath has never been so funny. As Dave’s life turns around and he appears to have found true happiness, Martin’s focus is on getting that statement from him, and when both their worlds implode, their reaching out for each other makes their connection finally feel authentic and allowing Martin a tiny hint of redemption – or could he just be bored again?

Alex Mugnaioni is electric as Martin. Picture every comic, intelligent, suave, slightly psychotic cad character from British film and TV, and that’s what you get in Martin – a mashup of simmering anger and performative patronising intelligence. Just brilliant. Ben Simpson’s Dave is the Penfold to Mugnaioni’s Dangermouse, apologetic and never quite believing that he deserves happiness. The pair deliver a masterclass in physical comedy as they twitch or squirm.

Brettingham has written a fantastically bizarre relationship between the two men, with supporting characters that cast light on their true connection. Edward Judge irritates Martin as both a fellow patient and a potential new “friend” with wide eyed and endearing innocence, and the wonderful Amelia Donkor plays the female characters in the men’s lives, matching Martin’s intellect as the coldly professional psychiatrist.

Wiebke Green directs with a sure touch and Kit Hinchliffe’s stark institutional white set is lit beautifully by Lucia Sánchez Roldán and Julia Starr’s sound design creates an intimate and sometimes claustrophobic atmosphere.

A show about a psychopath manipulating an innocent shouldn’t be this funny, but Madeleine Brettingham’s fantastic dark comedy explores the need for connection and delivers plenty of laugh out loud moments. A show not to be missed.

‘WEIRD’

TO MAKE WORLD PREMIERE AT NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

Brand new musical from acclaimed producer Michael Harrison

Special initiative also announced today

for 5,000 schoolchildren to see the show for free

Performances in January 2026 | www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Weird, an electrifying pop-powered musical reimagining Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Macbeth, will make its World Premiere at Newcastle Theatre Royal next year.

The show, a brand new British musical, will have a limited run from Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31 January 2026.

Written by Nick Butcher, Kerri Watt and Fraser Watt, Weird will combine witchcraft, mischief and mayhem, with a soundtrack of newly created pop anthems, telling the dramatic tale of the Scottish king through the eyes of three witches.

Further creative team and cast are to be announced.

Nick Butcher, and Scottish siblings Kerri Watt & Fraser Watt, are award-winning songwriters and chart-topping artists at the heart of modern musical storytelling. Their work spans music, theatre, and film, garnering 20+ million streams with their ability to write, record and produce their work to create a unique theatrical pop sound, breathing new life into what theatrical storytelling can be.

Separately, Nick, Kerri & Fraser each enjoy success in their independent ventures. Nick is an Emmy and Olivier Award-nominated songwriter, best known for writing the West End smash hit musical, The Little Big Things.

Kerri Watt, a Top 10 artist and songwriter, has enjoyed commercial success with music placements across television and radio as well as live performances at Glastonbury, Hyde Park and The Royal Albert Hall. Fraser Watt, a Berklee College of Music graduate, is a sought-after writer and producer who has worked with Dolly Parton, dearALICE and media giants like ESPN, Samsung and Universal.

As part of the run in Newcastle, more than 5,000schoolchildren from across the North East will have the opportunity to be the first in the world to see the brand new musical, thanks to a collaboration between producer Michael Harrison and Newcastle Theatre Royal.

As part of an initiative to provide more pathways for young people to be able to access live theatre, Michael and the theatre have joined forces to pledge that the first five weekday performances will completely waive ticket prices for schoolchildren from across the region to be able to attend free of charge. 

Michael Harrison said:

“When I first read Weird and listened to the incredible soundtrack, I knew I wanted the biggest audience possible to see it. I’m well aware there are thousands of school kids who study Macbeth, the source material of this brilliant new musical. It’s fair to say some of us don’t understand Shakespeare – Weird will change that.

“When we decided to try out Weird at Newcastle Theatre Royal, the theatre I grew up in, it felt absolutely right to offer as many school kids as possible the opportunity to see it for free, to support them with their school work and to inspire them, as I was, simply by attending the magnificent Theatre Royal.”

Michael Harrison is one of the country’s leading theatre producers with a string of smash-hit West End musicals to his name including Titanique, Hello, Dolly!, The Little Big Things, The Wizard of Oz, Starlight Express, Young Frankenstein and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the latter two both debuting at Newcastle Theatre Royal before embarking upon sell-out West End runs and nationwide tours respectively.

As Chief Executive of Crossroads Pantomimes, he is responsible for many major annual festive pantomimes across the UK; he has been at the helm of Newcastle Theatre Royal’s legendary pantomime for the past two decades and recently announced an extended run of Aladdin, his 20^th production at the venue starring father and son double act Clive Webb and Danny Adams.

This October, Newcastle Theatre Royal will open Miss Saigon – Michael’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical in association with Cameron Mackintosh – with a three-week run before the epic production heads out on major UK tour.

Marianne Locatori, Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal said:

“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Michael, one of the most successful and well-respected theatre producers in the UK, to premiere this brand new musical. Working with Michael, hot on the heels of his string of recent national theatre industry awards and hit productions in the West End and on tour, is a fantastic opportunity for our theatre and audiences in the city and region to see an amazing new musical. Not only will we have a never-seen-before production make its debut on our stage, but Michael’s vision will enable us to build on our existing programmes and relationships with schools in the region – particularly those in economically deprived areas – to provide creative pathways, deliver educational and enrichment workshops and support the industry’s future workforce that is right here on our doorstep.”

She continued: “For some audience members, this may be their first time in a theatre to see a live performance; Michael fondly recounts stories of his early visits to this very theatre and how they inspired him. Together, we hold a shared ambition that young people, especially those living outside London, need as many opportunities as possible to engage with the arts; by removing the potential barrier of cost for all the weekday performances, we hope to enable more children to develop a love of theatre that lasts a lifetime.”

Booking for the two performances on Sat 31 Jan 2026 opens on Mon 24 Mar at 10am for Friends Plus members, followed by Friends of the Theatre Royal on Fri 28 Mar, Flexi Priority Pass members on Tue 1 Apr and Public on-sale Fri 4 Apr. For more information, please visit theatreroyal.co.uk

Rose Theatre Kingston – until Saturday 22nd March 2025

Reviewed by C Burlinge

5*****

The Rose Theatre brings you the production of The House Party; the story of two best friends Julie (Synnøve Karlsen) and Christine (Selsey Hope), who both come from very different backgrounds. Julie, whose upbringing is one of privilege and money, feels very alone after losing her mother and having an almost non-existent relationship with her father. She holds a dark personality and comes across as damaged. Whereas, Christines life has been harder, she has been brought up on a council estate and is now caring for her mother, who has mental health problems, making her feel trapped. She is desperately trying to change her future and has an interview at Cambridge University; could this be a way out of her current situation?

It’s the night of Julie’s 18th birthday party and she decides to throw an impromptu party at her father’s lavish town house, in retaliation to him letting her down again for a date with his younger girlfriend! When her secret comes out that her boyfriend won’t be attending because he’s dumped her through text, Christine is left desperately trying to pick up the pieces once again, but at what personal cost? Whilst Julie parties the night away upstairs, Christine and her boyfriend Jon (Tom Lewis) talk about their future together whilst cleaning up the mess. Jon isn’t a fan of Julie’s, and it soon emerges that they have a history together, as Jon’s mum used to clean for the family.  

What is meant to be a happy event leads to secrets unravelling between the three, creating a path of destruction caused by the people they trusted the most. Then with social media playing its part things will truly never be the same again.

Julie and Christine’s parts were played exceptionally well, with an outstanding connection for all to see, making the audience truly believe that you were watching two best friends go through many familiar experiences within life. These had the audience on many occasions laughing out loud, especially watching them getting ready for the party together. Jon played the perfect boyfriend offering much love and care, but with dark undertones showing through.

The production offered some great house music, along with exceptional lighting and choreography, which created the perfect scenes to go alongside the story. Short dance scenes, expertly presented, were used along with strobe lighting and a display of a digital clock to move from one scene to another, and to show the passage of time over the course of the night. There were some funny and heartfelt moments with twists of darkness all making this a fantastic production that is well worth a watch.

Playhouse East 4 – 29 March

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Journalists Iris and Dan Henniman (Annelise Bianchini and Aaron Vodovoz) have accepted a job interviewing serial killer Bill Reach (Joshua Collins). Lee Blessing’s smart play explores the dynamics of writer and subject, and the public’s morbid fascination with true crime.

The prison is miles from anywhere, and the couple set up base in a dreary motel on a soulless road. Iris has written true crime books about killers before, but Dan’s past work has been about non-violent crime, so she takes the lead at first – confident that she has a little understanding of how men like Reach think. The couple take turns to interview Reach, meaning that one of them is left in the motel room, recording ideas. Katren Wood’s effective set allows the action and audience focus to switch easily.

Collins is extraordinary as Reach, easily switching between menace and charm as he works each interviewer, dropping breadcrumbs to keep them coming back without really revealing anything new. Whenever questions about his childhood and motivation are asked, he uses his power plays of anger or mentioning the book’s publisher by name.

The content of the interviews becomes repetitive, but Reach has little to say – his actions being what make him interesting. What makes the interviews electric is the tension between the characters as Reach alters his demeanour depending on who he is talking to, and the couple’s changing attitude towards him. When we are watching Reach’s anger, calm or ready smile, we never know which, if any, is authentic. The unease and nervous giggles as Collins sits and smiles at women in the audience, then instantly glares at others as if he’s ready to kill them is testament to his great acting.

The couple’s fascination and disgust with Reach slowly begins to effect their relationship as Dan begins to sympathise with Reach’s descriptions of freedom and power, believing that he can make a breakthrough revealing further victims, while Iris begins to question their role in feeding people’s appetite for the gore and horror of true crime. Bianchini and Vodovoz portray their deterioration wonderfully.

Tracy Mathewson’s assured direction keeps the longer navel-gazing sections interesting, with Reach appearing in the motel room as his hold on the couple grows. There is much speculation about Reach’s motivation and psyche, but no answers, as the man himself appears not to care about that, instead thinking predominantly about his notoriety. As Iris grapples with guilt, Reach is crowing about a sequel.

Down the Road is thought provoking with an excellent cast creating some magic moments of high tension. Well worth a look.

Crucible Theatre, Sheffield – until March 29th 2025

Review by Sharon Farley

5*****

Tennessee Williams’ gritty tale of 1940’s New Orleans life is as popular as ever and played to a packed house in Sheffield. Despite the dark themes of desperation, domestic violence and mental fragility running through it, a few humorous moments filtered into the first half via Blanche DuBois’ (Joanna Vanderham) coquettish insistence that she ‘hardly touches a drop’ every time the liquor bottle appears. But it soon becomes as apparent that Blanche’s relationship with Southern Comfort, along with her delusions, are a necessary cushion against the harsh reality of her current existence.

Born into the privilege of the big house on a plantation, Blanche’s fortunes have crumbled leaving her adrift in a difficult landscape that she is scarcely equipped to navigate. She resorts to seeking shelter with her sister, Stella (Amara Okereke). Evocative jazz-blues piano and the lounging of Stella’s neighbours, played by Bridgette Amofah (Cowbois, Sandman, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two) and Lia Burge (Crying Into Bins, Spiderfly, FREAK), sensuously invoke the atmosphere of a steamy New Orleans’ summer, setting the scene for Blanche’s arrival. The delicate sensitivities of the elegant but pretentious Blanche are immediately cast in stark contrast and we can almost feel the grime soiling her shoes as she turns her nose up at the idea her own sister might live there, humorously sniping that “Only Poe could do it justice!”

Inserting Blanche into the narrow confines of the ground-floor apartment Stella shares with her potent husband, Stanley Kowalski (Jake Dunn), means tolerance of each other doesn’t stand a chance. Kowalski considers Blanche a burden and resents the fact she doesn’t capitulate to the dominance of his raw masculinity. The harshness of Blanch’s life has brought her to favour men who are soft, sensitive and malleable, like Kowalski’s friend, Mitch (Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong), who is soon entranced by the well-practiced spell of Blanche’s cultured femininity. She has learned that, in her world, a woman’s worth rests on her looks and ‘shimmer’, and has used this to her advantage; but this also has a sell-by date that, for Blanche, is fast approaching. Mitch is the last chance that Blanche is hoping to grasp to secure against an uncertain future, but Kowalski begins digging up her past and poisons the water between them.

Stanley resents Blanche’s criticisms of him that begin creating conflict in his marriage, though it’s clear he is in no way a gentle partner to Stella, who is enthralled by his passionate desire for her. In Stella’s absence, Blanche’s branding of Kowalski as an animal is confirmed as he menacingly crawls towards her on all fours, imposing his violent nature in the worst way.

The portrayal of this pivotal scene is a delicate balance on the open stage, where the suggestiveness of a camera cut-away isn’t possible and the graphic nature of the attack is perhaps too brutal to play realistically. The drama here is a little too diluted; though Blanche stands exposed and vulnerable, the scene lacks a solid connection with the implied violence. However, this is the sole weakness in an otherwise brilliant production.

Josh Seymour’s (Spend Spend Spend, Romeo and Juliet, Musik) direction using the revolving stage as a base is well timed and brings the sweltering heat and male dominance of the Deep South into sharp relief. The clever set design (Frankie Bradshaw) simultaneously depicts the claustrophobic nature of 623 Elysian Fields Avenue, whilst also allowing room for the intense action to play out. Delicate lighting effects (Howard Harrison) beautifully illustrate the change from day to night that is central to Blanche’s beguiling of Mitch. Costume design is fluid, glamorous and practical for the multiple on stage changes, particularly for Blanche, to whom clothes are the passion that masks her insecurities.

Vanderham’s (Double Feature, Outrageous, What Maisie Knew) blistering portrayal of Blanche grants enormous dignity to a woman who has had to fight for survival, but is rapidly losing the battle and has her sanity finally shattered by a man who, even as he wins the power struggle between them, cannot resist a last symbolic cruelty. Dunn (Kes, Renegade Nell, Big Boys) believably plays a macho Kowalski with disturbing menace. Okereke’s (Les Misérables, The Morning After, Red Rose) cries as Stella realises she will be eternally caught in the fallout from their crossfire are chilling, and express the impossibility of women’s dependence when their freedoms are limited.

Leeds Playhouse – 6 March 2025

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Inside Giovanni’s Room, part of the Spring Tour, opens at the Leeds Playhouse under the artistic direction of Marcus Jarrell Willis. Based on James Baldwin’s groundbreaking 1956 novel, this World Première production primarily focuses on the human experience struggling with identity, sexuality and personal freedoms in a conforming society. Inside Giovanni’s Room provokes thoughts, reflections and resonances that are importantly applicable today as well at the time when the novel was written.

The company is renowned for its contemporary dance and its repertoire that represent the unique and diverse communities today and presenting Inside Giovanni’s Room is no exception. Baldwin, courageously and confidently explores love, sexuality, identity and vulnerability in his book based on his personal experiences of discrimination.

Set in the Paris in the 1950s, it tells the story of David (Teige Bisnought) who embarks on a troubled journey of self-doubt of himself and sexuality. He is engaged to his girlfriend, Hella, who is currently holidaying in Spain, but in her absence falls in love with Giovanni, an Italian bartender at the gay bar he frequents at.

Giovanni (Dylan Springer), is a troubled soul with a poor background, becomes David’s lover. His room is the focal point in the story and the place where they reaffirm their love and their relationship is deepened passionately. The intimate room, designed by Jacob Hughes, also serves their troubles in their relationship as David battles with his emotions and related trauma and dealing with the reality of being in a ménage á trois involving his girlfriend and lover. This is set to the time when homosexuality was illegal at the time and the pressures of social and society conformity were enormous even at the cost of being true to oneself.

Set to Marc Strobel’s musical composition, Bisnought and Springer, supported by the company’s dancers, are exceptional. Both of their portrayals of David and Giovanni and their individual vulnerability and troubled relationship are depicted in room which is physical and symbolic. Their brilliant synchronicity and fluidity dancing, intricate movements and expressions are sensitively and emotively expressed in their relationship amid consequential fates and surrounding realities.

It offers one a soulful and humane insight how one struggles with identity and having the freedom to be one amid conformity and sadly unacceptable prejudice and discrimination. It is such an amazing and well delivered production which moves, engages, grips and thought provokes from beginning to end. Inside Giovanni’s Room is emancipating which encourages one to freely and openly wonder about the themes that truly matter to one individually and their loved ones.

Leeds Playhouse – 5th March 2025

Reviewed by Sal Marino

3 Stars ***

The Intrusion, a Bric a Brac Theatre and Told by an Idiot production is the perfect piece to explain the issues and consequences around climate change to a younger audience.  Drawing on slapstick action and funny gags throughout the show, a small team of three actors tackle huge themes in a truly unique and dynamic way.

In this tale, humans have gone (or have they?) and an old species is now in charge but rather like the pigs who take over in Orwell’s Animal Farm, instead of learning from past mistakes, power corrupts. Will the same mistakes be made?

The music is original, catchy and stays with you after the performance.  Even though the stage set and props are limited the text and digital media used really helps translate the storyline and keeps a fast-moving pace.  The actors smoothly move between characters and scenes seamlessly giving coherence where it could get lost.

Without giving too much of the plot away, one gets to look at the serious issue of extinction and survival and ponder the question of “what if?”  I do think that a bit more hope and faith is needed towards the end of the play with some updates on the fantastic work that is being done around the globe such as: the discovery of plastic eating fungi and the work being done by very young innovators whose ‘STEM’ ideas are incredible and must be shared.  Just like ‘Ava Carter’s’ little secret in the play, these young, groundbreaking pioneers are our miracle who will save the planet and help engineer a beautiful and bright future if given the opportunity.  The ‘billionaires’ and celebrities in ‘their bunkers’ are the old way and we can choose as sovereign beings and as a collective not to follow or believe them and go down that doomed timeline if we wish.

This play makes you question, think and reflect.  Due to its funny and quirky delivery, The Intrusion, will be well received by a younger student audience as it will help them explore deep issues in a creative form.  Funny in an offbeat way, The Intrusion will entertain you and provide some chuckles in parts.

PLAYWRIGHT LEE HALL HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED TO

TRANSLATE AND ADAPT

BERTOLT BRECHT’S MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN

AS THE INAUGURAL PRODUCTION FOR NEW THEATRE COMPANY

ENSEMBLE ’84 IN COLLABORATION WITH SOUTH AFRICA’S ACCLAIMED ISANGO ENSEMBLE

FROM 14-24 MAY

Ensemble ‘84, a pioneering theatre company based in Horden, County Durham, has announced the dates for its debut production, Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht and adapted by award-winning writer Lee Hall. Directed by Ensemble ‘84’s co-founder and Artistic Director, Mark Dornford-May, this bold first production is a culmination of a 24-week, paid training programme for individuals from across County Durham to become professional actors and form its cast, and features an ambitious international collaboration with Isango Ensemble, the acclaimed, multi-award-winning theatre company from Cape Town, South Africa, whose work has served as both a model and inspiration for Ensemble ‘84. Mother Courage will premiere in Horden, East Durham from 14-24 May, with a national press night on Friday 16 May.  Tickets are now on sale.

Written in 1939, Mother Courage and Her Children follows the story of a shrewd canteen wagon owner, Anna Fierling – known as Mother Courage – as she struggles to make a living by profiteering from war while trying to protect her three children. Set against the backdrop of the Thirty Years’ War, Brecht’s play is a powerful exploration of survival, sacrifice, and the devastating cost of conflict. This new adaptation by Lee Hall, known for his award-winning screenplays for Billy Elliot and Rocketman, brings fresh urgency to Brecht’s iconic anti-war drama, offering a contemporary lens on its themes of resilience and moral compromise.

Performed by Ensemble ‘84’s all-County Durham cast, Mother Courage places the voices from the North East at its heart, celebrating the rich talent of the region. South Africa’s acclaimed Isango Ensemblebrings its globally recognised approach to theatre-making and adds a powerful international dimension to this special production. This collaboration bridges histories and geographies, drawing parallels between different struggles for survival and resilience across continents. Through this meeting of artists, cultures and lived experiences, Mother Courage is reimagined as the bold and urgent piece of theatre of our times, resonating with audiences both locally and globally.

Mark Dornford-May said, “Mother Courage is one of the greatest anti-war plays ever written and, in this new adaptation, we explore its relevance to communities who have lived through economic hardship and struggle here in the North East of England. By creating the work in this part of East Durham and through bringing in voices from South Africa’s Isango Ensemble, we have created a production that speaks across borders – one that unearths shared histories of resilience, sacrifice, and endurance.”

Lee Hall said, “Mother Courage is one of the most important plays of the 20th century. Brecht forces us to ask urgent questions about war, capitalism and the price of survival. Combining the North East England context with that of South Africa, where people have endured incredible hardship and fought to preserve their identity, brings a fresh and powerful perspective to the story. It’s a privilege to adapt this play for Ensemble ‘84’s first production, working with such an extraordinary company of artists from County Durham and, of course, one of the great lyrical international theatre companies from South Africa, Isango Ensemble.”

Mandisi Dyantisis, Musical Director for Isango Ensemble, said, “At its core, Mother Courage is a story about survival—about those caught in forces beyond their control, making impossible choices to keep going. This is something that resonates deeply with our own histories in South Africa, and it is a privilege to bring Isango Ensemble’s voice to this production. Working alongside Ensemble ‘84, we are not just telling a historical story, but drawing powerful connections between past and present, between different struggles across the world. This collaboration is a meeting of cultures, experiences and artistic traditions and I believe it will create something truly special for audiences.”

Julia Handelman-Smith, Into the Light Director, said, “This project embodies everything that Into the Light stands for – bringing communities together and strengthening them through bold, socially engaged storytelling. Mother Courage is a play that speaks to the struggles of working people across generations and this adaptation, rooted in East Durham’s mining heritage, makes it all the more powerful. Ensemble ‘84’s collaboration with Isango Ensemble is a testament to the power of international exchange, showing how shared histories of resilience and resistance can be brought to life on stage. We are incredibly proud to support this production and can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

The cast of Mother Courage and Her Children will be led by Isango Ensemble’s Paulina Malefane in the title role, with Brodie Daniel as Eilif, Ayanda Tikolo as Cook, Wendy Hindmarch as Yvette and Noluthando Boqwana-Page as Katrin.  Also in the cast will be Julie Ainslie, Mo Aleyasin, Eve Booth, Janet Brown, Bryn Chaytor-Wilson, Mia Cummings, Joe Hammal, Keith Irons, Stephen Lister, Sophie Moss, Zoleka Mpotsha, Thandolwethu Mzembe, Willow Pearson and Phil Swinburne.

Mother Courage and Her Children is directed by Mark Dornford-May, with musical direction by Mandisi Dyantisis and choreography by Lungelo Ngamlana.  Executive producer is Sud Basu.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Mother Courage and Her Children

Horden Methodist Church

Blackhills Road

Horden

Peterlee SR8 4LQ

14-24 May 2025

Performances:  16 May at 7pm, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22, 23 and 24 May at 7.30pm, matinees at 2.30pm on 21 and 24 May

Tickets:  £5 for previews (14 & 15 May); £18 all other performances, with concessions £8

Box office: www.ensemble84.com/mother-courage / 0191 524 2578

Running Time:  90 minutes

Age restriction advised: 12+

Website: ensemble84.com

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