Full Cast Announced For Deafinitely Theatre's World Première Of THE PROMISE 

Deafinitely Theatre, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre have announced the full cast 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 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 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

About Deafinitely Theatre

In 2002 Paula Garfield set up Deafinitely Theatre alongside Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face in mainstream media. The company launched with a sell-out première of Deaf History at The Gate Theatre in London. In May 2012, the company performed the first ever British Sign Language Shakespeare play at The Globe Theatre, Love's Labour's Lost, celebrating its 10-year anniversary. In 2018 Deafinitely won the Off West End Award for Best Production for its site-specific production of Mike Bartlett's Contractions and in 2019 Paula Garfield received a Tonic Award for her energy and unwavering commitment to opening theatre up and the artistic quality of the work Deafinitely Theatre presents. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 with its world premiere of Everyday. 

The company's vision is a world where deaf people are a valued part of The National Theatre landscape, recognised for the excellence of their work. Deafinitely Theatre is the first professional deaf-launched and led theatre company in the UK that works bilingually in British Sign Language and spoken English and produces work that caters to audiences of all ages. Deaf theatre has a vital contribution to make to the UK's diverse and vibrant theatre landscape. Deafinitely Theatre challenges barriers to training and opportunities and embraces the deaf world's diversity. The company work hard to nurture the next generation of deaf actors, writers and audiences through its Deafinitely Youth Theatre, plus its creative training and development programme for adults.

About Birmingham Rep 

Birmingham Rep is the oldest building-based theatre company in the UK, and the forerunner of both the RSC and The National Theatre. The Rep has an unparalleled pioneering history and is the only producing theatre in the UK's Second City. It has been at the forefront of theatre in the UK for over 100 years.  

The Rep's mission is to create artistically ambitious, world class, popular theatre for everyone. The commissioning and production of new work lies at the core of The Rep's programme and over the last 15 years with the company has produced more than 130 new plays. As well as presenting over 60 productions on its three stages every year, the theatre tours its productions nationally and internationally.  

The Rep's acclaimed learning and outreach programme is one of the largest and most diverse of any arts organisation in the country. The Rep has nurtured new talent throughout its history - from Laurence Olivier and Peter Brook to its modern-day youth theatre, and the ground-breaking Rep Foundry Theatre-makers programme, it has offered opportunity and training for thousands of early career writers, directors, and artists.  

Many of The Rep's productions go on to have lives beyond Birmingham. Since 2021 Rep tours and transfers include Of Mice and Men, Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image the Musical, The Way Old Friends Do, The Play What I Wrote, Animal Farm and East is East. The theatre's long-running production of The Snowman celebrated its 29th anniversary as well as its 26th consecutive season at London's Peacock Theatre in 2023. 

About Lyric Hammersmith Theatre 

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre produces bold and relevant world-class theatre from the heart of Hammersmith, the theatre's home for more than 125 years. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Rachel O'Riordan and Executive Director Amy Belson, it is committed to being vital to, and representative of, the local community. A major force in London and UK theatre, the Lyric produces adventurous and acclaimed theatrical work that tells the stories that matter. The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has a national reputation for ground-breaking work to develop and nurture the next generation of talent, providing opportunities for young people to discover the power of creativity and to experience the life changing impact of theatre. We are the creative heart of Hammersmith, proud of our history and ambitious for our future.  

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