LOSE TO WIN

LOSE
TO WIN

By Mandela Mathia
Directed by Jessica Arthur

Venue Upstairs Theatre
Dates 25 Apr – 19 May 24
Duration 1 hour 10 minutes (no interval)

Content warning
Lose to Win includes references to death and violence, the use of strobe lighting, haze and loud sounds.
Should you wish to speak to a member of staff regarding running times, content warnings or any other show related queries, our box office can be contacted on 02 9699 3444.

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

What makes Mandela’s tale entertaining and memorable is his big smile, his sense of humour and his easy honesty.
Sydney Arts Guide

Not a soul is born without a backstory, but few are as gripping as Mandela Mathia’s
The Sydney Morning Herald

a distinctive new voice making a significant contribution to our Australian stories Australian Stage

TEAM

Mandela Mathia
Writer

Mandela was born in South Sudan and spent the majority of his childhood years in the north of the country and in Egypt, due to the civil war in Sudan. He arrived in Australia in 2008. Since graduating from NIDA he has appeared in Sami in Paradise, The Cherry Orchard (Belvoir); The Rolling Stone (Outhouse […]
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Mandela Mathia
Mandela was born in South Sudan and spent the majority of his childhood years in the north of the country and in Egypt, due to the civil war in Sudan. He arrived in Australia in 2008.
Since graduating from NIDA he has appeared in Sami in Paradise, The Cherry Orchard (Belvoir); The Rolling Stone (Outhouse Theatre Company); Prize Fighter (National Tour with La Boite); Othello, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Nights (Sport for Jove); Macbeth (Sport for Jove) and played Hamlet in Sydney Foreign Actors Association in the production of HEMLET.
Mandela has shown interest in not only performing on stage, but also playwriting. He co-wrote a short film with emerging successful filmmakers out in the industry, which he has starred in some of these films such as I Am Emmanuel and Kill off. Mandela has starred in All These Creatures short film that won a prestigious awards the “Palme door “ at Cannes Film Festival and the 2018 AACTA Award. With the film All These Creatures’ success, Mandela have been nominated for best leading role of Mel in the Reel-good Film Festival early in 2019. In 2022, Mandela made his debut on Australian TV on the show The Twelve starring along side some of Australian most acclaim actor Sam Neil.
Mandela was nominated for best supporting role in 2018 for the play The Rolling Stone. By the following year, he was nominated for best leading role of Mel in the Reel-good Film Festival early in 2019 for All These Creatures short film
Recently starring in vertical drama, Going Home (2025), Mandela continues to work across stage and screen, bringing his own stories to life while contributing to bold, innovative and diverse storytelling in the Australian arts industry. Mandela has co-written and starred in a feature film Boss Cat which will be in Australian cinemas late this year (2026).
Jessica Arthur
Director

Jess Arthur is one of the most prolific main-stage theatre directors. Her productions include The Wolves for Old Fitz and subsequent 2019 Belvoir season. Jess was Resident Director at Sydney Theatre Company 2018 – 2022, directing productions Chalkface, The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall, Wonnangatta, Banging Denmark, Mosquitos and Home I’m Darling. Jessica also worked as […]
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Jessica Arthur
Jess Arthur is one of the most prolific main-stage theatre directors. Her productions include The Wolves for Old Fitz and subsequent 2019 Belvoir season. Jess was Resident Director at Sydney Theatre Company 2018 – 2022, directing productions Chalkface, The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall, Wonnangatta, Banging Denmark, Mosquitos and Home I’m Darling.
Jessica also worked as Assistant Director on The Harp In The South Part I and Part II, Dinner, Chimerica and Endgame for Sydney Theatre Company, as well as Miss Julie for the Melbourne Theatre Company.
Her most recent production was the world premiere of The Dictionary of Lost Words for State Theatre Company South Australia and Sydney Theatre Company, which had a sell-out season in 2023 and a return season in Melbourne 2024.
Cast
Mandela Mathia
Performer

Mandela was born in South Sudan and spent the majority of his childhood years in the north of the country and in Egypt, due to the civil war in Sudan. He arrived in Australia in 2008. Since graduating from NIDA he has appeared in Sami in Paradise, The Cherry Orchard (Belvoir); The Rolling Stone (Outhouse […]
Read full bio

Mandela Mathia
Mandela was born in South Sudan and spent the majority of his childhood years in the north of the country and in Egypt, due to the civil war in Sudan. He arrived in Australia in 2008.
Since graduating from NIDA he has appeared in Sami in Paradise, The Cherry Orchard (Belvoir); The Rolling Stone (Outhouse Theatre Company); Prize Fighter (National Tour with La Boite); Othello, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Nights (Sport for Jove); Macbeth (Sport for Jove) and played Hamlet in Sydney Foreign Actors Association in the production of HEMLET.
Mandela has shown interest in not only performing on stage, but also playwriting. He co-wrote a short film with emerging successful filmmakers out in the industry, which he has starred in some of these films such as I Am Emmanuel and Kill off. Mandela has starred in All These Creatures short film that won a prestigious awards the “Palme door “ at Cannes Film Festival and the 2018 AACTA Award. With the film All These Creatures’ success, Mandela have been nominated for best leading role of Mel in the Reel-good Film Festival early in 2019. In 2022, Mandela made his debut on Australian TV on the show The Twelve starring along side some of Australian most acclaim actor Sam Neil.
Mandela was nominated for best supporting role in 2018 for the play The Rolling Stone. By the following year, he was nominated for best leading role of Mel in the Reel-good Film Festival early in 2019 for All These Creatures short film
Recently starring in vertical drama, Going Home (2025), Mandela continues to work across stage and screen, bringing his own stories to life while contributing to bold, innovative and diverse storytelling in the Australian arts industry. Mandela has co-written and starred in a feature film Boss Cat which will be in Australian cinemas late this year (2026).
Yacou Mbaye
Musician

Born in Dakar, Senegal, and based in Sydney, Australia since 2007 – Yacou Mbaye is one of Australia’s leading West African drummers and dancers. Yacou plays and specialises in Sabar, the Talking Drum, Dundun and Djembe. Yacou comes from a long line of performers, both musicians and dancers, and has been performing since the age […]
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Yacou Mbaye
Born in Dakar, Senegal, and based in Sydney, Australia since 2007 – Yacou Mbaye is one of Australia’s leading West African drummers and dancers. Yacou plays and specialises in Sabar, the Talking Drum, Dundun and Djembe.
Yacou comes from a long line of performers, both musicians and dancers, and has been performing since the age of 6. Music and dance is at the centre of Senegalese culture. Being born into a griot family has fuelled Yacou’s passion to pass on the traditions of storytelling through drumming and dance to the next generation. Yacou is passionate about preserving and sharing his culture with Australians, bringing the rhythms and movement of West Africa to the people of Australia.
Yacou has played and danced for greats such as Rokia Traore, Alpha Blondy, Angelique Kidjo, Toumani Diabate and Salif Keita.
In 2017, Yacou founded his own business, African Vibes & in 2018 he created his own band AfroMbollo and most recently is developing his musical career in musical composition and arrangement. Yacou’s in depth knowledge of Senegalese and pan-African rhythms offers a unique and inspiring approach to contemporary music in Australia.
Creatives
Keerthi Subramanyam
Set and Costume Designer

Keerthi is a Sydney based set and costume designer for live performance and film. Keerthi is a National Institute of Dramatic Art, BFA (Design for Performance, 2019) graduate, and a member of the Australian Production Design Guild. Keerthi has designed set and costumes for Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, Chewing Gum […]
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Keerthi Subramanyam
Keerthi is a Sydney based set and costume designer for live performance and film. Keerthi is a National Institute of Dramatic Art, BFA (Design for Performance, 2019) graduate, and a member of the Australian Production Design Guild.
Keerthi has designed set and costumes for Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, Chewing Gum Dreams at the Old Fitz, Chop Chef at Riverside Theatres, and designed the costumes and was a set realiser on Belvoir’s At What Cost.
Keerthi has been an associate designer on a wide range of theatre shows including Sydney Theatre Company’s Grand Horizons, Belvoir’s Jungle and the Sea, Wayside Bride, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Boomkak Panto, Cursed!, and Hayes Theatre Co’s Young Frankenstein.
Keerthi has also worked as a props supervisor on Belvoir’s Into the Woods and Blessed Union.
Keerthi’s film credits include working as a design assistant on Operation Buffalo, as production & costume designer on various short films and music videos and most recently as an art director on SBS’s mini series Appetite. Keerthi is one of Belvoir’s Artistic Associates. She is currently working across theatre and art installation.
Brendon Boney
Sound Designer and Composer

Belvoir St Theatre: At What Cost?, Winyanboga YurringaOther Theatre: As Composer & Sound Design: The Visitors (Sydney Theatre Company), Fences (Sydney Theatre Company), A Raisin in the Sun (Sydney Theatre Company), Riverside’s NToP: Choir Boy, Bangarra Dance Theatre: Dance Clan, Dubboo (Assistant), Illbijerri Theatre: Black Ties, Ensemble Theatre: A Letter For Molly, Hothouse Theatre: Unprecedented […]
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Brendon Boney
Belvoir St Theatre: At What Cost?, Winyanboga YurringaOther Theatre: As Composer & Sound Design: The Visitors (Sydney Theatre Company), Fences (Sydney Theatre Company), A Raisin in the Sun (Sydney Theatre Company), Riverside’s NToP: Choir Boy, Bangarra Dance Theatre: Dance Clan, Dubboo (Assistant), Illbijerri Theatre: Black Ties, Ensemble Theatre: A Letter For Molly, Hothouse Theatre: Unprecedented As Associate Composer/Sound Design: The Tempest, The Seven Stages of Grieving, Other Theatre: As Actor/Performer: Bangarra Dance Theatre: Wudjang: Not the Past, Baleen Moondjan: Adelaide Festival (Stephen Page) Film: As Lead Character Singing Voice: Bran New Dae (2009) TV: As Composer/ Musical Contributor: Gods of Wheat Street (ABC1), Offspring (Network 10), Winners & Losers (Seven Network), Underbelly Chopper (The Nine Network) Radio/Music: As Recording Artist/Writer Played on triple j, fbi radio, ABC radio, community radio nationwide, 150 000+ streams across platforms Spotify & Apple Music Music: As Performer: Bluesfest Byron Bay, Woodford Folk Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Fringe festival, Brisbane Festival, Friendship Festival (Seoul, Sth Korea), The Aussie BBQ (UK) Awards: APRA Professional Development Award.
Kate Baldwin
Lighting Designer

Kate Baldwin is a disabled, Japanese-Australian lighting designer, who lives and works on the lands of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation. Since graduating from NIDA in 2019, some of her credits as Lighting Designer include: Forgetting Tim Minchin (25A); Girl Band (National Theatre of Parramatta and New Ghosts Theatre Company); Lose […]
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Kate Baldwin
Kate Baldwin is a disabled, Japanese-Australian lighting designer, who lives and works on the lands of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation.
Since graduating from NIDA in 2019, some of her credits as Lighting Designer include: Forgetting Tim Minchin (25A); Girl Band (National Theatre of Parramatta and New Ghosts Theatre Company); Lose to Win (Red Line Productions); The Great Australian Play (Red Line Productions and Montague Basement); Nothing (National Theatre of Parramatta), Tom at the Farm (KXT); Albion (New Ghosts Theatre Company, Secret House & Seymour Centre); Top Coat (Sydney Theatre Company); The Box Show (Critical Stages Touring & Junkyard Beats); Guards at the Taj (National Theatre of Parramatta); Chewing Gum Dreams (Green Door Theatre Company and Red Line Productions); seven methods of killing kylie jenner (Darlinghurst Theatre Company and Green Door Theatre Company); and House at Boundary Road, Liverpool (Bontom).
She completed a residency at Sydney Theatre Company as Design Associate (Lighting) in 2021 and 2022. She was also a part of Ka-llective, which had residencies with PACT and CPAC in 2021 and 2022.
Ayah Tayeh
Dramaturgical Consultant

Ayah Tayeh is a Sydney-based theatre maker and dramaturg and is currently the Literary Associate at Belvoir St Theatre. She has worked with Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Darlinghurst Theatre Co, CAAP productions as an assistant director, producer, stage manager, and dramaturg. Ayah was a participant of Australian Plays Transform’s inaugural Developing the Dramaturg program, as […]
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Ayah Tayeh
Ayah Tayeh is a Sydney-based theatre maker and dramaturg and is currently the Literary Associate at Belvoir St Theatre. She has worked with Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Darlinghurst Theatre Co, CAAP productions as an assistant director, producer, stage manager, and dramaturg.
Ayah was a participant of Australian Plays Transform’s inaugural Developing the Dramaturg program, as well as ATYP’s Cultivate program.
Her Belvoir credits include: Orlando (Assistant Director, 2025), Lose to Win (Dramaturgical Consultant, 2024), Counting and Cracking (2022, 2024), The Jungle and The Sea (2022), The Boomkak Panto (2021), A Room of One’s Own (2021) and My Brilliant Career (2020). Other credits include: The President (STC), Constellations (7 Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Breaking Glass (Sydney Chamber Opera), and Double Delicious (Contemporary Asian Australian Performance with Sydney Festival).
Laura Farrell
Vocal Coach

Laura Farrell (she/her) is a Voice and Dialect Coach living and working on Gadigal land. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Voice from NIDA, a Postgraduate Diploma in Voice from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Victorian College of the Arts. Laura is an Associate […]
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Laura Farrell
Laura Farrell (she/her) is a Voice and Dialect Coach living and working on Gadigal land. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Voice from NIDA, a Postgraduate Diploma in Voice from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Victorian College of the Arts. Laura is an Associate Lecturer at NIDA and a certified teacher of Knight Thompson Speechwork and Vocal Combat Technique.
Recent coaching credits for Belvoir include Jungle and the Sea, directed by Eamon Flack (2026); The Wrong Gods, directed by Hannah Goodwin (2025); Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, directed by Simon Phillips (2025); Big Girls Don’t Cry, directed by Ian Michael (2025); Song of First Desire, directed by Neil Armfield (2025); August: Osage County, directed by Eamon Flack (2024); Counting and Cracking, directed by Eamon Flack (2024); Never Closer, directed by Hannah Goodwin (2024); Lose to Win, directed by Jessica Arthur (2024); Holding the Man, directed by Eamon Flack (2024); and The Master & Margarita, directed by Eamon Flack (2024).
Jen Jackson
Stage Manager

Jen Jackson is a Korean-Australian stage manager, living and working on Gadigal land, with a particular passion for new Australian work and a commitment to diversity in theatre. After attending UNSW in a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Theatre & Performance, she continued her studies at NIDA with a degree in Technical Theatre & Stage […]
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Jen Jackson
Jen Jackson is a Korean-Australian stage manager, living and working on Gadigal land, with a particular passion for new Australian work and a commitment to diversity in theatre. After attending UNSW in a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Theatre & Performance, she continued her studies at NIDA with a degree in Technical Theatre & Stage Management.
As Stage Manager: Lose To Win (Belvoir), Koreaboo, Golden Blood黄金血液, Pony, End Of. (Griffin Theatre Company), How To Plot A Hit In Two Days, Master Class (Ensemble Theatre), Lost in Shanghai, The Bridal Lament, Double Delicious (Contemporary Asian Australian Performance), Nothing (National Theatre of Parramatta). As Assistant Stage Manager: Song of First Desire, At What Cost (Belvoir), Rinaldo (Pinchgut Opera).