The Mother

Free open-air theatre next to City Hall.

Pavel's mother doesn't approve of the protests in the street but when her beloved son gets involved in the demonstrations she begins to think again. The last thing she expects is to find herself marching alongside him, but as she listens to the stories of those around her this meek, respectable woman begins to ask how long she can keep silent. Soon she has the whole town stirred up and nothing will ever be the same again.

This surprisingly warm and witty portrait of a family and neighbourhood in crisis is a timeless exploration of what leads ordinary people to stand up for their beliefs. Written during the rise of Hitler, it so worried the Nazis that they kidnapped the leading actor to prevent the public from seeing the play.

This exciting new translation of Brecht's classic play by Mark Ravenhill, one of the UK's most celebrated and controversial playwrights, looks set to cause waves of its own as this year's street protests dictate the political agenda at home and abroad.