The Promise

Join us in Bartlett park for an outdoor family theatre performance of The Promise by Handpicked Productions, based on Nicola Davies’ celebrated book.

Based on the celebrated book by The Promise, this new outdoor opera for families tells the story of a young girl who lives in a hard and ugly city. One night she tries to steal a bag from an old woman; but in the struggle that follows, the girl is urged to make an unexpected promise; a promise that will transform her life and the city she lives in.

Featuring an ensemble of world-class musicians and performers, Handpicked Productions bring the colourful story to life through song, puppetry, and theatrical magic!

By Daniel Saleeb and Nicola Davies, conceived and directed by Lucy Bradley, designs by Sascha Gilmour.

Suitable for ages 6+ (younger children welcome). Duration 60 minutes

Based on the book The Promise © Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin. Licensed by Walker Books Ltd.

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The Woman: Bethan Langford

The Girl: Eleanor Penfold

Chloë Sommer – Terry And

Amy Helena – Terry Too

Sophia Kannathasan – Violinist

Aaliyah Booker – Violinist

Zivorad Nikolic – Accordionist

Iñigo Mikeleiz Berrade – Accordionist

Amy Hsu – Musical Director

Composer: Daniel Saleeb

Librettist: Nicola Davies

Director: Lucy Bradley

Ashen Gupta – Assistant Director

Co-Producer: Tamzin Aitken

Sascha Gilmour – Designer

Lucy Bradley is a director working in the UK and Europe in settings ranging from regional theatres and drama schools to large-scale opera houses and site-specific locations including Royal Opera House, Opera North, Glyndebourne Festival, Teatro all Scalla, Milan, Teatro Real, Madrid, Oper Koln and Opera Monte Carlo, The British Museum, The Brooklands Museum and The Corinthia Hotel. Participation has always played a large part in Lucy’s work and she is passionately committed to the creation of new Opera and Theatre for and with young audiences.

Daniel is a composer of wide-reaching and eclectic work, for the church, the concert platform, schools, film, theatre and opera. Recent performances of his commissions have included: Westminster Abbey; Milton Court Studio Theatre, the Victoria & Albert Museum, St. John’s Smith Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the BBC Proms. Following earlier study at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the Royal College of Music, Daniel graduated with Distinction from the MA in Opera Making & Writing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2017. He was generously supported by the Guildhall Scholarships fund and the Oak Foundation. In 2017- 18, he was a Fellow in Composition at the Guildhall.

Celebrated children’s author, Nicola Davies, originally trained as a zoologist and worked for several years as one of the original presenter’s of the BBC’s Really Wild Show. Nicola is known for her ability to introduce the natural world and its fascinating creatures to picture-book audiences. She has written over 80 books for children include One Tiny Turtle, Wild about Dolphins, Bat Loves the Night, Ariki and the Island of Adventures, Brave and the Fox, and Grow: Secrets of Our DNA.

Sascha Gilmour is a theatre designer, maker and puppeteer with a studio based in Cheshire. She creates work for plays, musicals, festivals, events and performance art. Working collaboratively, pushing boundaries and a focus on sustainability are at the core of her creative practice.

Tamzin is an award-winning producer with over 18 years’ experience in opera, classical music and theatre. Her work spans strategic planning, fundraising, producing and dramaturgy. Following roles with the Royal Opera House, London Philharmonic Orchestra and English National Opera, she took the leap to develop her career as a freelance consultant. She has since worked with a wide range of organisations including BBC Young Composer, Wilton’s Music Hall, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Southbank Centre, Intermusica Artists’ Management, The National Student Drama Festival, Ensonglopedia, St. Endellion’s Summer Festival, and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. At the height of the pandemic, she Executive Produced VOPERA’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges which went on to win the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Opera 2021 and the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Opera and Music Theatre 2021.