Mother Courage and Her Children Review: Brecht's seminal play with pole dancing, gunshots and... Swiss Cheese?
- Jack Davey
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
15 May 2026 I 19:30 I Shakespeare's Globe, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
At London's infamous Globe Theatre, you may expect to see Shakespeare's writing on the stage. However, as part of the venue's Summer 2026 programme, Artistic Director Michelle Terry fronts Bertolt Brecht's seminal play Mother Courage and Her Children, an anti-war allegory that rejects fascist ideology. Last seen at the Royal Exchange in 2019, Anna Jordan's translation is brutal, bringing the yard to life with live music and passionate performances. This production is directed by Globe Associate Artist Elle While.
Mother Courage's fictional tale is often studied as part of the school curriculum, as was included in mine. She pulls her cart through wastelands, selling resources and profiteering from the war in a bid to keep her family alive. She must adapt to please all parties of the war: the Purples, the Blues and the merciless Oranges.
But fundamentally, Brecht wanted us to learn something. Pioneering the dramatic movement Epic Theatre, the play features narration, musical interludes and fourth-wall breaks to remove the 'illusion' of theatre, instead observing its political commentary. The pre-show lures audiences into whimsy, as Mother's children engage and attempt to sell items to the audience along a wagon track, thrust into the standing area.
Labelled as a criminal, the character of Mother Courage is naturally complex, not always likeable as she prioritises trade over her children's safety. She smears her daughter's face in horseshit, and haggles for her son's life, yet we understand her reasons. This role really belongs to Michelle Terry, painting a wicked-tongued and fierce woman who parades with a familiar Cockney charisma. Her acting choices are unpredictable as we both question and revel in Mother's choices, inevitably aching with her in final scenes.
Each of her children bring a unique dynamic to the production: with the juvenile bravado of Vinnie Heaven's Eilif against Rawaed Asde's Swiss Cheese, whose dopiness makes him an unfair victim of conflict. Surprisingly, the mute character of Kattrin (Rachelle Diedericks) carries the most gravitas, as her cycle of trauma and explosive gestures condemn the suffering of children in war.
Somehow, the Globe Theatre feels the perfect place to stage Brecht's masterpiece. Being an open-air venue, we have the sound of planes occasionally flying overhead during the performance. Given the context of war, Terry takes a moment to look to the skies in anticipation, really embracing the spontaneity of the venue. There's also a considerable number of gunshots which, in the round auditorium, you see the audience jump in unison in one surreal shared experience.
Live music breathes through this production, as James Maloney's compositions enter in deliberately jarring moments to prevent us from collapsing into the story. The brassy song selection is almost cabaret-like in its entertainment, as we laugh and applaud before being sucker-punched by the following scene. The band of five are so versatile in sound, though due to the acoustics of the space, occasionally drown out the actors due to their sheer volume.
Staging this German tour-de-force at the Globe for the very first time is a risk, especially asking audiences to embrace the non-traditional Epic Theatre. And we aren't expected to take action in the way ticket-holders would have been inspired to in 1939. Its potency lies in challenging visuals that highlight war's impact on innocent civilians, seen in the media today. Sometimes it is violent. Other times, there are raves. Nadine Higgin's vocally exceptional Yvette pole dances in nightclubs, and Ferdy Roberts' Minister 'Godsquad' yells profanities at every given opportunity.
Mother Courage And Her Children puts two fingers up to the world of theatre, and still feels progressive almost a century after its premiere.
Tickets and Information: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/mother-courage-and-her-children/
