A Man of Good Hope

A Man of Good Hope description

Following unanimous acclaim in New York, London, and countless other cities in Europe, Asia and Africa, this magnificent music theatre production based on the book by Jonny Steinberg tells the true coming-of-age story of Asad Abdullahi. After witnessing the murder of his mother in Mogadishu, 8-year-old Asad journeys from Somalia through six African nations, finding and losing relatives, growing up, marrying, making a family of his own and losing them too before finally reaching the outskirts of Johannesburg.

Chronicling one man’s remarkable life as it criss-crosses some of the world’s most charged contemporary issues: human trafficking, migration, poverty and xenophobia, A Man of Good Hope is a modern African odyssey, rich with fresh insights into resilience, survival and leavened by humour and the all-too-human idiosyncrasies of those he meets in his journey into the continent’s south.

The Isango Ensemble’s performances thrill with their raw honesty and power, but it is the production’s glorious, incomparable music (part opera, part-musical) that will make your pulse race and your heart swell. Superbly, joyously sung and performed live by the 22-member cast, A Man of Good Hope is an unforgettable experience.

A profound act of empathy and a reminder of what a mighty force empathy in the theatre can be.

The New York Times

For the audio version of this event page, click here.

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Powerful... exhilarating... Halfway between a Brechtian fable and a pop opera.

The Guardian, UK

Marvellous songs and breathtaking acting... Isango Ensemble is a marvel.

The Observer

Event additional information

Participants

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Based on the book by Jonny Steinberg

Directed by Mark Dornford-May

Music Direction by Mandisi Dyantyis

Presented by arrangement with Arts Projects Australia.

Co-produced by The Royal Opera, Repons, BAM and Les  Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

Production Team
Mark Dornford-May - Artistic Director
Mandisi Dyantyis - Music Director
Pauline Malefane - Music Director
Lungelo Ngamlana - Choreographer
Manuel Manim - Lighting Designer
Jonny Steinberg - Writer of book : A Man
of Good Hope
Claire Bejanin - Producer

Technical Team
John Page - Production Manager
Maris Sharp - Company Manager
Sandile Mgugunyeka - Stage Management
Valencia Mgugunyeka - Stage Management

Resources

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Read and download the daybill here (PDF 1.9MB)

Teachers resources for the show can be found here (PDF 3MB)

Additional resources:

Review Writing Tips (PDF 290KB)

Theatre Etiquette (PDF 115KB)

Links to Curriculums for Education Resources (PDF 215KB)

Partners

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