LOSE TO WIN

About the show

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY FROM SOUTH SUDAN TO THE BELVOIR STAGE. “In this country, you think it’s your right to have three meals a day. Me, where I came from? I think it’s a miracle.” From South Sudan to Egypt to Belvoir St, this is the extraordinary journey of Mandela Mathia. Fleeing his war-torn home as a child, Mandela spent many years journeying, searching, and eventually finding his way to our stage. This is a joyful, poignant solo show, straight from the man who lived it. A celebration of the South Sudanese community, of resilience, and the power of imagination, Lose To Win is an astonishing modern Australian story. Few actors bring Mandela’s warmth, depth and breadth to the Belvoir stage. When we were rehearsing The Cherry Orchard and Sami in Paradise he shared anecdotes of his life that would make every jaw drop. Now, in the sure hands of Jessica Arthur’s direction, he’s put his life into a piece of theatre that’s by turns charming and flat-out remarkable. He’s a treasure of the Belvoir stage. – Eamon