‘Provocative, direct and ruthless’

Why Ma Kuraġġ u Wliedha (Mother Courage and Her Children) and why now?

I sometimes wonder whether there will ever come a time or place Mother Courage might be considered irrelevant. Aside from the fact that this is piece is a pillar of the theatre canon and that Josette Ciappara’s embodiment of the character is a masterclass in acting, the central themes of this play could not be more apt in 2022. It is a stark reminder – or perhaps a mirror held up – to humanity. This piece is provocative, direct and ruthless. It makes no excuses and is not forgiving – things are said as they are. 

How long have you been working on this production? Describe the initial stages of this project and how you went about making this anti-war classic your own. 

This journey began just over six months ago. The first two months were purely research-based, during which we assembled a team of creatives to brainstorm and set the vision. I tend to enjoy collaborative processes; it helps to ground expectations and ensure everyone is moving in the same direction. The process for rehearsals was pretty much the same: casting took a while because we wanted to ensure that we found actors and musicians who would...