Amazing reviews of Mother Courage and her Children produced by Ensemble ‘84
23 May 2025
Image: Brodie Daniel, Mo Aleyasin, Willow Pearson, Wendy Hindmarch, Thandolwethu Mzembe, Sophie Moss, Bryn Chaytor-Wilson, Joe Hammal, Keith Irons and Ayanda Tikolo in Mother Courage. Credit Keith Pattison
Ensemble ‘84 is a pioneering theatre company based in Horden, County Durham. Its debut production Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht is on the penultimate night of a sold out run of shows. The final performance takes place on Saturday 24th May.
The production is directed by Mark Dornford-May and adapted by screenwriter Lee Hall, and is the culmination of a 24-week, paid training programme for individuals from across County Durham to become professional actors and form its cast.
This ground breaking piece of theatre is part of the county wide Into the Light project, with one of its objectives to widen access to creative education and break down barriers for those aspiring to work in the creative industries.
Mother Courage and her Children 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.
The production has played to sold out audiences and received incredible reviews and features nationally and here in the North East. We thought we’d bring this media coverage together and celebrate the success of this extraordinary production.
How Billy Elliot writer is bringing theatre to the community – Channel 4 News
Mother Courage and Her Children review at Horden Methodist Church: timeless / THE STAGE
REVIEW: Mother Courage and her Children, Horden, County Durham / Cultured. North East
We can’t wait to find out what Ensemble ’84 does next.