The Story of an Extraordinary Teenage Girl who Changed History...

Mother of the Maid Portrait. Image Supplied by Newcastle Theatre Company.

Newcastle Theatre Company continues its tradition of staging engaging, serious modern theatre with Mother of the Maid, a moving and beautiful play by American playwright Jane Anderson. It was first performed in New York in 2018 with Glenn Close in the title role.

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This is the story of Joan of Arc told from her mother’s perspective. Isabelle Arc is a sensible, hardworking, God-fearing woman who struggles with her headstrong daughter’s behaviour. Her plight will be familiar to parents today. But this daughter is set apart. She eschews romance, wears men’s clothing and insists she will lead the French army into battle against the enemy English army.

Isabelle and her husband are simple farmers who are devoutly Christian, but they struggle to believe Joan’s accounts of her conversations with St Catherine and the grand, holy purpose God has set out for her. When her cause is taken up by the rich and powerful – the Dauphin, no less – they find themselves thrust into a world of privilege which they can barely understand and are reluctant to trust.

Isabelle follows the baffling journey of her odd and extraordinary daughter with a mother’s loving persistence - grappling with her own fears and challenged faith along the way.

Mother of the Maid is directed by Craig Barnes and features Leanne Guihot as Isabelle and Alyshia Barnes as Joan, along with Mark Williamson, Rory Pollock, Aiden Clark, Nerida Watson and Ellee Hall.

The season plays July 15 to 29 at Newcastle Theatre Company, 90 De Vitre Street Lambton, with evening performances at 8pm and matinees on Sunday, 16 July and Saturday, 22 July, at 2pm.

Get your tickets now at www.newcastletheatrecompany.com.au or call the office on 4952 4958 between 3pm and 6pm, Monday to Friday.