Isabella en Madame Ching | Club Classique & Troupe Courage

Isabella and Madame Ching
And other storm fighters

Club Classique and Troupe Courage join forces in this musical theatre spectacle in which masks, storytelling and a one-woman orchestra form the basic ingredients.

In Isabella and Madame Ching, Myrthe and Katrien wonder what we should do with this time, this stormy time in which hope seems scarce and powerlessness lurks. Armed with a violin and a bag full of masks, they travel back in history to other stormy times in search of inspiration.

Katrien takes us to 16th century Italy, ravaged by wars and bubonic plague. She takes on the role of Isabella, who is in the eye of the storm and plays her way out of poverty with her masks. This courtesan enchants the audience with improvisations that break through taboos and thus becomes the first actress/business manager ever. Myrthe becomes fascinated by Madame Ching, who in the early 19th century ruled over a fleet of 400 ships with a crew of 80,000 pirates. She becomes the terror of Chinese waters and introduces a new pirate code with special rules for female prisoners. How did Isabella, Madame Ching and other strong women sail through the storm and make the impossible possible?

These beautiful, crazy, moving, brutal and insane stories inspire us to go in search of the storm fighters of today. That is why we invite a special guest for each performance; from climate activist to criminal, writer, neighbourhood mother, singer, actor or someone who does not fit into a box. In this way we meet stories of women who have braved the storm in a hyper-creative way, sometimes against the rules. Each performance has its own special guest, making every evening unique and unforgettable.