Pit village aiming for the world stage
Ensemble ’84 announces first production to premiere in the spring
In the former mining village of Horden, near Peterlee, something has been stirring, something unseen and perhaps unexpected – a new theatre company with links overseas and big ambitions.
The scale of its ambition is revealed in the announcement that its first production is to be Mother Courage and Her Children, Bertolt Brecht’s famous play, in an adaptation by Lee Hall who helped to put this part of the world on the entertainment map with Billy Elliot.
The new theatre company is called Ensemble ’84 (a year also recalled in Lee’s film and stage musical, set during the miners’ strike of 1984-5).
It has been assembled from scratch by respected theatre director and educator Mark Dornford-May who recruited cast members locally following open days last August and September.
These will be joined by performers from Cape Town, South Africa, members of Mark’s award-winning Isango Ensemble, to perform the Brecht play in Ensemble ‘84’s base in the old Horden Methodist Church from May 14 to 24.
Make a note of those dates if you want to be in at the start of something exciting.
Well, it’ll be the start for audience members. For the cast, this will have been going for some time, the performances marking the culmination of a paid 24-week training programme for County Durham people wanting to become professional actors.
Written in 1939, Mother Courage and Her Children has become a classic with universal appeal.
It follows the story of shrewd canteen wagon owner Anna Fierling, known as ‘Mother Courage’, as she struggles to make a living by war profiteering while trying to protect her three children.
Say the Ensemble ’84 team: “Set against the backdrop of the Thirty Years’ War (of the 17th Century), 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.”
The company adds that the 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, who calls it one of the greatest anti-war plays ever written, says: “In this new adaptation we explore its relevance to communities who have lived through economic hardship and struggle here in the North East.
“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 says Brecht, in this play, “forces us to ask urgent questions about war, capitalism and the price of survival.
“Combining the North East 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.”
Mandisi Dyantisis, Isango Ensemble’s musical director, says: “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.”
The Ensemble ’84 initiative is part of County Durham’s Into the Light cultural programme, supported by Arts Council England through the National Lottery and directed by Julia Handelman-Smith.
“This project embodies everything that Into the Light stands for, bringing communities together and strengthening them through bold, socially engaged storytelling,” she says.
“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.”
Playing Mother Courage in the play will be Paulina Malefane of Isango Ensemble.
She will be joined by Julie Ainslie, Mo Aleyasin, Noluthando Boqwana, Eve Booth, Janet Brown, Bryn Chaytor-Wilson, Mia Cummings, Brodie Daniel, Joe Hammal, Wendy Hindmarch, Keith Irons, Stephen Lister, Sophie Moss, Zoleka Mpotsha, Thandolwethu Mzembe, Willow Pearson, Phil Swinburne and Ayanda Tikolo.
Mother Courage and Her Children (suitable for people aged 12 plus) will be staged at Horden Methodist Church, Blackhills Road, SR8 4LQ from May 14 to 24 with evening performances and matinees.
For times and to book tickets, go to the Ensemble ’84 box office or call 0191 524 2578.