The Compagnie Follown & McEwen, with the director Isabelle McEwen and a larger cast, continues the work initiated by Théâtre Follow, founded in 2010 by the Ivorian performer Ibrahima Sanogo. FOLLOWN is Mandinka and means translated: the day of the narrative.

After the plague

Premiere: 14.10.2021 at the Hamburger Sprechwerk

Director: Isabelle McEwen, Music: Dirk Achim Dhonau, with: Alexa Harms, Ibrahima Sanogo, Dirk Achim Dhonau, Neil Malik Abdullak (as guest), Wiba Bernstein, Chorus: Birgit Langendorf, Dorit Powicki, Monika Reinboth, Ilona Schliephake, Gerlinde Trutenau

The play is the third part of a trilogy, the first two parts of which, "Tatort Kunst" and "Tatort Demokratie", were shown in 2019 at the Hamburger Sprechwerk and the University of Hamburg respectively.

Rosa suffers from Long Covid, at times she hears voices. One day she wakes up in the middle of the night. She can no longer sleep. She goes out of the house, walks aimlessly through the empty streets and at some point falls asleep on a park bench. Over the next few hours she meets various people, some of whom are real, some of whom are not. They all talk about the world we are about to enter. Is this world the same as the one we thought we had lost a short while ago? For the African with whom Rosa is in love, the world looks very different anyway. The Syrian she meets by chance also has his own view of the world. The voices she hears make Rosa think, they look gloomily into the future. But she herself believes in a new, better world.

The project was funded by the Hamburg Ministry of Culture and Media, the Hamburg-Mitte district office, the Altona district office and made possible by the revival and guest performance funding of the Dachverband freie darstellende Künste Hamburg, on behalf of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Culture and Media.
The research on which the text is based was supported by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

For recording: click here

Europe Contest

Premiere: 01.11.2018 at the LICHTHOF Theatre (eigenarten Festival)

From and with: Ibrahima Sanogo, Isaac Lokolong, Judith Newerla, Monika Reinboth; Director: Isabelle McEwen

"Why do so many young Africans dream of Europe?" asks the performance. "Why are they willing to risk their life for this dream?" In Europa Contest, the journey of young Africans who want to go to Europe becomes a game: a board game that the performers play on stage with people from the audience. We amuse ourselves, confetti are everywhere on the ground but there are so many dangers lurking for the travellers who want to come to Europe that their chances of arriving here are very small. It's like that in reality and it's like that in the game. Some players are attacked by gangs. They are robbed, kidnapped or killed. Others are arrested by the police, put into camps and sent home with empty pockets. Then they must save money before they can re-enter the journey. On their way to Europe, not only they but also our moral concepts are at risk. What can we do about it? Is a dialogue at eye level actually possible?

For recording (excerpts): click here

Fela rewind

Premiere: 27.10.2017 at the Lichthof Theatre (eigenarten Festival)

From and with: Ibrahima Sanogo, Mandjou Doumbia, Dirk Achim Dhonau, Jesseline Preach; Music: Dirk Achim Dhonau; Director: Isabelle McEwen

In 1997 the Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti died. Thousands followed his coffin on the streets of Lagos. He was also mourned in the rest of the world: a voice had gone that had strengthened the resistance of an entire generation against exploitation and corruption. Now twenty years have passed since his death: How would Fela see the political conditions in the world today? If it was possible to rewind time forward and backward at will, we thought,  we could ask him. What would he tell us about Africa and our relationship to Africa? The magician of the evening is Tony Allen, the drummer who accompanied Felas life for many years. He lures Fela back into the world with music.

For recording (excerpts): click here