A Man of Good Hope

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, and comprising performers drawn primarily from the city’s townships, the Isango Ensemble has garnered international acclaim for its musical, theatricalized adaptations of classic works. With A Man of Good Hope, the company draws inspiration from a contemporary work whose subject matter hits close to home. In a coproduction with the Young Vic — which partnered with Isango on 2014’s Olivier Award-winning The Magic Flute — the company adapts for the stage South African native Johnny Steinberg’s 2015 book about a Somali refugee’s journey from Mogadishu to Johannesburg and finally to the United States. Driven by Isango’s powerhouse vocals and signature marimba, the resulting work is a clear-eyed portrait of the compromises and resilience necessary for survival. This ensemble effort transforms a single man’s story into an expansive African epic.