Isango Ensemble

Isango Ensemble is an Article 21 theatre company based in Cape Town (2010-).

Established after 2010, when Isango Portobello, the resident company at The Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, were no longer able to use that venue as its base.

Creative team

Director: Mark Dornford-May; co-founder and co-Music Director: Paulina Malefane; Associate Director and co-Music Director: Mandisi Dyantyis; Choreographer: Lungelo Ngamlana.

Some sources online, including Isango Ensemble's website, suggest or imply that much of Dornford-May's work in South Africa pre-2010 was created with or for Isango Ensemble, but Isango Ensemble was established once The Fugard Theatre ended Isango Portobello's occupancy at the venue in 2010. The earlier works were created with or for Dimpho di Kopane and Isango Portobello.

Productions

2010: Aesop's Fables

2012: Venus and Adonis (at the Globe to Globe season at Shakespeare's Globe in London)

2013: Venus and Adonis (Shakespeare's Globe, London)

2015: A Midsummer Night's Dream

2016: A Man of Good Hope

2017: SS Mendi - Dancing the Death Drill

2022: Treemonisha

2025: Mother Courage and Her Children (with Mark Dornford-May's UK company Ensemble '84).

Dates unknown: The Magic Flute, La Boheme, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist, The Mysteries, U-Carmen

Touring

2009: Paris, France

2011: Melbourne, Australia

2013: Tokyo, Japan

2014: Washington, DC, USA

2015: USA Tour

2016: London, England (5 weeks at Young Vic, A Man of Good Hope)

2016: USA Tour 2019 - Caen, France

2019: London, England (3 weeks at Royal Opera House, SS Mendi & A Man of Good Hope)

2019: USA Tour

Films

Films created by Mark Dornford-May and the ensemble include Unogumbe – Noye’s Fludde (2013) and Breathe – Umphefumlo (2015). The films have met with popular and critical acclaim, playing at festivals including The Berlin International Film Festival, LA Pan African Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and others in Australia, the USA, the UK, Europe and Africa.

Sources

https://www.isangoensemble.africa

https://amp-worldwide.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Treemonisha_Info-Deck.pdf

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