Deafinitely Theatre to premiere The Promise at Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith

Deafinitely Theatre has announced the premiere of new production The Promise.

The Promise is a new piece of writing, co-written and directed by the Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre Paula Garfield and written with the journalist Melissa Mostyn.

It runs at the Birmingham Rep from 5 April to 13 April 2024 before heading to London at Lyric Hammersmith from 30 April until 11 May.

The Promise is a play performed in spoken English, British Sign Language (BSL) with captions that addresses how dementia affects those in the deaf community and their families.

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…

Paula Garfield, the Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre said: “The Promise is a unique opportunity to present an authentic story of the barriers deaf people with dementia face within the healthcare system. Communication breakdowns, and the knock-on effects these have on their own and families’ well-being are huge issues that audiences should be educated on.

“There are many deaf people who have been affected by dementia, yet their stories have never been told. Many people are unaware of how to seek support, or information about dementia is mostly in written English, which can be a huge barrier. The play serves as a poignant example of how easily basic human rights can be compromised.”

For more information, visit deafinitelytheatre.co.uk