Music
The Promise
Wende / Royal Court Theatre
NETHERLANDS & UK
The Promise details
The Promise pictures
The Promise description
The Promise began as a bold experiment at London’s famous new writing theatre, the Royal Court, bringing together playwrights, artists and musicians to co-create, starting with the idea that some things can only be expressed through song.
Wende, the star Dutch singer and composer, comes to the Adelaide Festival for the first time with this captivating modern song cycle, which was co-written with leading writers from the Royal Court, including EV Crowe, Debris Stevenson, Stef Smith, Somalia Nonyé Seaton and Sabrina Mahfouz. A truly collaborative work, The Promise delves into themes often overlooked in traditional songbooks, exploring women’s experiences of motherhood, identity and self-discovery.
Wende somehow manages to create that rarity: anthemic crowd singalongs that even a hardened critic feels compelled to join.
The New York Times
Co-conceived by Royal Court Associate Designer Chloe Lamford and Wende, in collaboration with renowned English composer Isobel Waller-Bridge and choreographer Imogen Knight, the show has played London and Amsterdam, with New York and Adelaide to come.
With mesmerising music, compelling storytelling and a powerful performance by Wende, The Promise is an intimate theatrical concert that pushes the boundaries of musical tradition.
I often wish I had been in Paris in the 50s when the great French singer-songwriter Barbara was performing. Now I feel better about the lack. I was at the Royal Court when Wende sang.
The Guardian
Something truly magical. Ninety minutes of Wende is not nearly enough. [The Promise] feels like a one-woman musical with pop music. It’s Fleabag meets Lady Gaga.
Broadway World
The Promise is a co-production of Stichting WENDE, The Royal Court Theatre London and International Theater Amsterdam.
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