Mother Courage, one of the most astonishing stage creations of the twentieth century, drags her cart across the battlefields, profiteering from a war that destroys her children, one by one.

Fiona Shaw returns to the National to take the title role in Tony Kushner's inventive and vigorous translation of Bertolt Brecht's uncompromising masterpiece. New live music by Duke Special and his band infuses this wildfire production.

It isn't easy, starting a war, but nothing worthwhile is easy. And once you're in, you're hooked like a gambler, you can't afford to walk away from the crapshoot once you're deep into it.