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PRESS: MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON for three shows only at Woordfees
- Theatre Scene Cape Town
- Oct 4
- 3 min read
Christine Skinner
How Now Brown Cow presents the return of multiple award-winning MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON for three shows only at the 2025 Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees.
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout and adapted by Rona Munro, MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON explores the most tender relationship of all – the one between a mother and daughter.
The South African premiere production starring Julie-Anne McDowell (The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Revlon Girl), directed by multiple-award winning Charmaine Weir-Smith (The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Train Driver) enjoyed a successful national tour in 2024, receiving a Naledi Theatre Award nomination for Best Solo Performance. Design for the show is by Kieran McGregor (Expelled).
MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON will be performed at Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees for three shows only from 11 to 13 October 2025.
The novel was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2016 and was also a number one New York Times-bestseller. The stage production of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON opened at The Bridge Theatre in London in 2018.
“MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON is a story for anyone who has questioned how family defines one. It is a powerful narrative of hope and triumph about a woman who finds her truth and reclaims her story. We are proud to be bringing this special play to audiences at Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees,’ says actress Julie-Anne McDowell.
Press comments about the South African production include:
‘Julie-Anne McDowell is trefseker in haar vertolking van ma en dogter….My Name is Lucy Barton is teater wat empatie ontlok, wat die kyker pantser en jou in ander se skoene laat loop.’ Laetitia Pople, Netwerk 24 / Die Burger
‘As How Now Brown Cow presents us with their new piece of theatre, we are reminded of their commitment to excellence in everything that they do. The SA premier of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON, starring Julie-Anne McDowell, is such a piece…..the frail bond of the two main characters as McDowell moves effortlessly between mother and daughter. McDowell had the audience spellbound’ Faeron Wheeler, Broadway World
‘It’s a beautifully moving story, one that’ll have you captivated from beginning to end. Julie-Anne McDowell delivers a brilliant performance and this really just is a must-see.’ Karisa Nicholls, Cape Town My Love
‘‘Charmaine Weir-Smith keeps the pace flowing steadily as Julie-Anne McDowell inhabits the stage with confidence and grace.’Karen Rutter, Weekend Special
MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON will be performed at Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees on:
11 October at 10h00
12 October at 20h00
13 October at 13h00
Tickets cost R200-R250 or R230-R280 at the door.
Bookings can be made at Quicket
Age Restriction – no U13s
Follow all the news on the How Now Brown Cow Social Media pages here:
MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com .
MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON was originally produced on Broadway by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Producer, The London Theatre Company, Nicholas Hytner, Nick Starr, in association with Penguin Random House Audio on January 15, 2020.
MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON was originally produced by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr for the London Theatre Company at the Bridge Theatre in June 2018.