Mother Courage and Her Children
by Bertolt Brecht
in a translation by Tony Kushner
4 STARS
Daily Express, Daily Mail, Guardian, Independent, Metro, Sunday Times
‘Brecht's tragedy of war is brought up to date with a bang.' Guardian
‘Fiona Shaw delivers an astonishing performance.' Independent
‘An exciting, moving and formidable theatrical experience.' Daily Express
‘Tony Kushner's adaptation combines with Deborah Warner's staging to catch war's unpredicablility, fever, ferocity - and perverse magnetism.' The Times
Mother Courage, one of the most astonishing stage creations of the twentieth century, drags her cart across the battlefields, profiteering from a war that destroys her children, one by one
It isn’t easy, starting a war, but nothing worthwhile is easy. And once you’re in, you’re hooked like a gambler, you can’t afford to walk away from the crapshoot once you’re deep into it.
Fiona Shaw returns to the National to take the title role in Tony Kushner’s inventive and vigorous translation of Bertolt Brecht’s uncompromising masterpiece. New live music by Duke Special and his band infuses this wildfire production from the team whose many international credits include Happy Days and Medea.
Watch the Sky Arts documentary about the production, featuring rehearsal footage, interviews with Fiona Shaw, director Deborah Warner and the Company, plus songs by Duke Special.
Find out more about Duke Special and hear samples of his music at his website and MySpace page
Mother Courage and Her Children finished on: 8 December 2009
