Isango Portobello
Encyclopedia
Isango is a Cape Town
based theatre company led by director Mark Dornford-May
and music directors Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis. Most of the company members are drawn from the townships around Cape Town. The company’s work focuses on re-imagining classics from the Western theatre canon, finding a new context for the stories within a South African or township setting.
In 2007 Isango premiered their productions The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo and A Christmas Carol - Ikrismas Kherol at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. These productions then transferred to London's Young Vic Theatre where they had a sell-out season and were jointly awarded the Whatsonstage Theatre Goers Choice Award for Best Off-West End Production.
The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo transferred into London's West End in 2008, playing at the Duke of York's Theatre. The production won the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival in 2008. Isango has since performed The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo in Dublin, Chichester, Canterbury, Tokyo, Singapore, Johannesburg, Rotterdam and Paris. In Paris the production played to sell-out audiences at the famous Theatre du Chatelet and received the Globes de Cristal for Best Opera. The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo continues to tour internationally.
In 2009, Isango opened their new production of The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. The production then transferred into the West End where it played a critically acclaimed season at the Garrick Theatre.
From June 2009 to February 2010 Isango oversaw the development of the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, funded by producer Eric Abraham, which opened on 12 February 2010. The opening season included the Isango productions The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo and The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso, playing in repertoire to sold-out houses. Isango was the company in residence for the first year of operation at the Fugard Theatre and premiered two new productions, Aesop's Fables and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - Izigwili Ezidlakazelayo
.
Producer Eric Abraham funded the Isango company from 2006 to 2010 and produced all of their productions during this period.
Other stage and film productions by Mark Dornford-May, Pauline Malefane and members of the company include the internationally acclaimed stage productions of Carmen and The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso. The company adapted their stage production of Carmen and in 2005 uCarmen e-Khayelitsha, starring Malefane in the title role, won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival. The company’s second film Son of Man premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
In 2011 Isango Ensemble is developing plans for a new purpose built theatre space in the townships surrounding Cape Town, as well as premiering two new productions and further international touring.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
based theatre company led by director Mark Dornford-May
Mark Dornford-May
Mark Dornford-May is a British-born South African theatre and film director.-Early life:Mark Dornford-May was born on his Grandfathers farm near Eastoft in Yorkshire. His paternal Grandfather was a miner on the Yorkshire coalfields...
and music directors Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis. Most of the company members are drawn from the townships around Cape Town. The company’s work focuses on re-imagining classics from the Western theatre canon, finding a new context for the stories within a South African or township setting.
In 2007 Isango premiered their productions The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo and A Christmas Carol - Ikrismas Kherol at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. These productions then transferred to London's Young Vic Theatre where they had a sell-out season and were jointly awarded the Whatsonstage Theatre Goers Choice Award for Best Off-West End Production.
The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo transferred into London's West End in 2008, playing at the Duke of York's Theatre. The production won the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival in 2008. Isango has since performed The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo in Dublin, Chichester, Canterbury, Tokyo, Singapore, Johannesburg, Rotterdam and Paris. In Paris the production played to sell-out audiences at the famous Theatre du Chatelet and received the Globes de Cristal for Best Opera. The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo continues to tour internationally.
In 2009, Isango opened their new production of The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. The production then transferred into the West End where it played a critically acclaimed season at the Garrick Theatre.
From June 2009 to February 2010 Isango oversaw the development of the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, funded by producer Eric Abraham, which opened on 12 February 2010. The opening season included the Isango productions The Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo and The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso, playing in repertoire to sold-out houses. Isango was the company in residence for the first year of operation at the Fugard Theatre and premiered two new productions, Aesop's Fables and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - Izigwili Ezidlakazelayo
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (play)
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is a play by Stephen Lowe, adapted from the classic working-class novel, by Robert Tressell.It was first produced by Joint Stock in Plymouth on 14 September 1978, directed by William Gaskill...
.
Producer Eric Abraham funded the Isango company from 2006 to 2010 and produced all of their productions during this period.
Other stage and film productions by Mark Dornford-May, Pauline Malefane and members of the company include the internationally acclaimed stage productions of Carmen and The Mysteries - Yiimimangaliso. The company adapted their stage production of Carmen and in 2005 uCarmen e-Khayelitsha, starring Malefane in the title role, won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival. The company’s second film Son of Man premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
In 2011 Isango Ensemble is developing plans for a new purpose built theatre space in the townships surrounding Cape Town, as well as premiering two new productions and further international touring.
Sources
- Cape Town's rainbow stage, - article about Isango Portobello's new theatre, by David Smith; The Guardian, 15 Feb 2010.
- All black South African acting company evicted from theatre, article by David Smith; The Guardian, 23 Nov 2010.