A full cast announcement has been made for the world première of The Promise written by Deafinitely Theatre’s Artistic Director Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn. The Promise is a new play also directed by Garfield in the company’s renowned highly visual style combining British Sign Language and Spoken English.
Garfield directs the cast who include James Boyle, Erin Hutching, Louis Neethling and Anna Seymour. Completing the creative team are Paul Burgess (Set & Costume Design), Holly Ellis (Lighting Design), Marie Zschommler (Sound Design) and Ben Glover (AV Design).
The play highlights how dementia affects those in the deaf community and their families through Spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL). The UK touring production will open on Tuesday 9 April at Birmingham Rep, with previews from 6 April. The company then tours to Northern Stage in Newcastle upon Tyne on 19 April, HOME Manchester on 25 April and conclude its tour at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 30 April to 11 May.
Paula Garfield, Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre, said “The idea for The Promise has been in my mind for a long time, influenced by my family’s experience with dementia. Melissa and I have dedicated over two years crafting and refining the play from our personal perspectives and working closely with the deaf community. I can’t wait to collaborate with this outstanding cast and look forward to getting stuck in to exploring family dynamics and the strength of human connections when rehearsals start in March.”
Melissa Mostyn, co-writer of The Promise, said “I feel privileged to be working with Deafinitely Theatre as co-writer of The Promise, a heartfelt story about a deaf family grappling with the effects of dementia. Their standards are high, and the cast they’ve just announced are exemplary. Having seen the actors at work, I’m beyond excited to see them bring The Promise to life.”
Rita is really confused.
She can’t understand why the deaf education system she’s tirelessly championed throughout her teaching career is getting worse and worse, or why there is only one care home in the whole of England that looks after people in her language. On the Isle of Wight.
She’s also confused about where her family is, and why she can’t remember where the milk goes…
This striking world première from the nationally acclaimed British theatre company Deafinitely Theatre (The Vagina Monologues, Everyday and 4.48 Psychosis) is inspired by the extraordinary experiences of deaf people living with dementia.
Paula Garfield co-writes and directs. For Deafinitely Theatre she has also directed Everyday, 4.48 Psychosis, Horrible Histories – Dreadful Deaf, Contractions – which won the Off West End Award for Best Production, Two Chairs, Motherland, Children of a Greater God, Playing God, Double Sentence, Gold Dust and co-directed Can Bears Ski?. She also devised and directed The Boy and the Statue for Deafinitely at the Tricycle Theatre and on a London schools’ tour. Garfield has directed two productions at Shakespeare’s Globe – Love Labour’s Lost, for the Globe to Globe Festival as part of Deafinitely’s 10th anniversary, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her other directing work includes Tanika’s Journey (Southwark Playhouse) Grounded (Park Theatre).
An actor, director, workshop leader and organiser, Garfield has worked on a variety of television, film and theatre projects over the past fifteen years. In 2002 she established Deafinitely Theatre with Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face across the arts and media. She has produced and directed many plays and worked extensively in TV, including Channel Four’s Learn Sign Language, Four Fingers and a Thumb, BBC’s Hands Up and Casualty, plus appearances in every series of the BBC’s deaf drama, Switch.
Melissa Mostyn co-writes. Originally a fashion journalist, she now writes about parenting, the arts, disability and deaf issues and contributes to Vogue, Esquire, The Observer, The Independent, BLOOM, New Zealand Style, The Huffington Post, British Deaf News and Disability Arts Online.
James Boyle plays Jake. He is currently studying at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art the first deaf man accepted into RADA. The Promise will mark his stage debut.
Erin Hutching plays Jane. Her theatre credits include Barrier(s) (National Theatre), Treasure Island (Derby Theatre), Telethon (Talk Show / Shoreditch Town Hall), The Process (Bunker Theatre), 4.48 Psychosis (Deafinitely Theatre / New Diorama), Peeling, People of the Eye (UK tours), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (German tour), Macbeth (1623 Theatre Company), and Boy in a Dress (Battersea Arts Centre/ UK tour). Her television credits include Deaf Funny; and for film, The Ballad of Des and Mo.
Louis Neethling plays Mike. He is a deaf director, producer, actor and presenter. His international work includes theatre credits See No Evil and An African Tale; and for television DTV and Shakies.
Anna Seymour plays Rita. She is currently a dancer with Candoco Dance Company. Her theatre credits include The Vagina Monologues (Hackey Empire), and Black is the Colour (Melbourne Fringe 2016). For television her credits include Get Krack!n.
THE PROMISE LISTINGS
UK tour 6 April – 11 May 2024
The Rep, Birmingham
Saturday 6 April – Saturday 13 April at 7pm
Matinee performances: 6, 11 and 13 April at 2pm
Press Night – Tuesday 9 April 2024
Box Office: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk / 0121 236 4455
Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne
Friday 19 April – Saturday 20 April at 7:45pm
Box Office: www.northernstage.co.uk / 0191 230 5151
HOME, Manchester
Thursday 25 April – Saturday 27 April at 7:45pm
Press Night – Thursday 25 April
Box Office: www.homemcr.org / 0161 200 1500
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Hammersmith
Tuesday 30 April – Saturday 11 May 7:45pm
Matinee performances: 1 and 8 May at 2:45pm
Press Night – Wednesday 1 May
Box Office: www.lyric.co.uk / 02087 416850