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.

Productions

2022: Treemonisha

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

Dates unknown: SS Mendi - Dancing the Death Drill, A Man of Good Hope, Aesop's Fable, The Magic Flute, A Midsummer Night's Dream, La Boheme, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist, The Mysteries, U-Carmen, Venus & Adonis

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 u-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005), Son of Man, 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. They have won the Golden Bear at The Berlin International Film Festival as well as several Best Feature Awards.

Sources

https://www.isangoensemble.africa

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

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