How Now Brown Cow presents the multiple award-winning My Name Is Lucy Barton
Following its acclaimed South African premiere last year, How Now Brown Cow is proud to present the multiple award-winning My Name Is Lucy Barton.
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).
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.
Actress Julie-Anne McDowell says:
“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.’
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
‘Charmaine Weir-Smith keeps the pace flowing steadily as Julie-Anne McDowell inhabits the stage with confidence and grace.’ Karen Rutter, Weekend Special
Show Information:
My Name is Lucy Barton
Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees
Venue:
Spier Auditorium
Dates:
11 to 13 October 2025
Saturday, 11 October at 10h00;
Sunday, 12 October at 20h00;
Monday, 13 October at 13h00
Ticket Prices:
Booked online R200-R250 or R230-R280 at the door
Bookings:
Bookings online via Quicket
Age restriction:
PG13
About How Now Brown Cow:
How Now Brown Cow was launched in 2020 during a global pandemic. The company, founded by Actor and Writer Julie-Anne McDowell, was established to offer world class South African and international works for local and international audiences and stages. Daniel Galloway, who was The Fugard Theatre’s Managing Director and Lead Producer from 2009 to 2020, is the General Manager and co-Producer alongside Julie-Anne. During the global theatre shutdown of 2020 and 2021, How Now Brown Cow launched the How Now Brown Cow Writer’s Collective which saw the commissioning of 12 new South African scripts several of which are now in the next phase of development. In 2022 the Production Company released their first short film, The Hive, which was screened to critical acclaim on the international and local film festival circuit. The Beauty Queen of Leenane was How Now Brown Cow’s first stage production in South Africa which was presented in Johannesburg in October 2022 and Cape Town’s The Baxter Theatre in August 2023. The production won five Naledi Theatre Awards, including Best Production of a Play. How Now Brown Cow will be staging 3 new productions in the coming 16 months.
Connect with How Now Brown Cow Productions on social media:
Facebook | Instagram
