Mother Courage and Her Children Tickets

Mother Courage and Her Children in London

Witness history this summer as Mother Courage and Her Children comes to Shakespeare’s Globe, on vibrant Bankside. This visceral staging of Bertolt Brecht’s timeless epic about survival, commerce and the cost of conflict marks the first time this revolutionary playwright’s work has been staged at the Globe Theatre. This ambitious staging of one of Brecht’s masterwork play invites audiences into a world where war is not just a backdrop but the engine of life itself - secure your tickets for this remarkable production today.

What is the play Mother Courage and Her Children about?

Following the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War, Mother Courage hauls her war‑wagon through a landscape of conflict, selling supplies to soldiers and trying to keep her three children safe, even as the violent world around her exacts a devastating toll. Mother Courage will do whatever it takes to survive - but in the business of war, everything has a cost. Is she willing to pay the price? 

This Globe production interrogates the brutal economics of conflict with live music, urgent performances and Brecht’s epic theatrical style, asking audiences to consider not just the horrors of war but the systems that perpetuate it. With humour, resilience and startling emotional depth, this staging brings Brecht’s incisive storytelling vividly to life beneath the London sky.

The History of Mother Courage and Her Children

Written by Bertolt Brecht in 1939, Mother Courage and Her Children first debuted in 1941 in Zurich. Several productions have been staged since, many of which were directed by Brecht himself. In 1961, several years after Brecht's death, the play was adapted as a German film, Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder, starring Helene Weigel, Brecht's widow.

Considered a cornerstone of Brecht’s epic theatre, the play uses techniques that encourage reflection over mere emotional identification, blending music, direct address and episodic scenes to challenge audiences to think as much as feel. Mother Courage has remained an enduring indictment of war and profiteering, celebrated for its political force and theatrical innovation, and this blistering new staging marks a historic occasion for the Globe, as this production becomes the first ever staging of Brecht’s masterwork on its stage. 

The Cast of Mother Courage and Her Children

Michelle Terry stars as Mother Courage. Terry is an actor, writer and the Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe. She has performed leading roles in numerous Globe productions, including Hamlet, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and As You Like It, as well as many roles at other prestigious venues, including the National Theatre, RSC, and Royal Court.

Further casting is to be announced. 

The Creative Team of Mother Courage and Her Children

Mother Courage and Her Children is written by Bertolt Brecht, with significant contributions by Margarete Steffin. Brecht (1898–1956) was a German playwright, poet and director. His most influential works include The Threepenny Opera with composer Kurt Weill, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and The Life of Galileo. Brecht’s techniques, including direct address, visible staging, and songs, reshaped 20th-century theatre and continue to influence political and socially engaged performance today.

Bruntwood Prize winner and Succession writer Anna Jordan provides the English translation. Her other credits include Yen, Lost Atoms,Becoming Elizabeth, One Day for Netflix and Killing Eve.

The production is directed by Globe Associate Artist Elle While (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet). Music is composed by James Maloney (Much Ado About Nothing, A Very Very Very Dark Matter), with set and costume design by takis (Wicked, A Midsummer Night's Dream).

Tickets for Mother Courage and Her Children at The Globe

Witness a Globe Theatre first as Mother Courage and Her Children storms the yard with humanity, protest and unflinching theatrical power. Whether you’re drawn by Brecht’s epic vision, Michelle Terry’s commanding performance, or the Globe’s iconic setting, this production promises to resonate deeply. Don’t miss this chance to experience one of theatre’s greatest works at one of London’s most remarkable venues - book your tickets for Mother Courage and Her Children at Shakespeare’s Globe!