The Complete Plays: The Promise (1968)

Production Details
Title:
Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:
The Promise
Alexei Arbuzov
No

The Library Theatre, Scarborough
Concert Room
Round
Translation:
Original Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Ariadne Nicolaeff
My Poor Marat

27 June 1968
27 June 1968
17 July 1968
Company Details
Director:

Stage Manager:
Deputy Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Joan Macalpine

Robin Holmes
Rosalind Speight
Bryan Andrews
Penny Leatherbarrow
Character
Lika
Marat
Leonidik
Actor
Tina Matthews
Gregory Reid
Francis Wallis
Notes
○ The Promise was produced in Scarborough following its success in London in 1967 in a production featuring Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Ian McShane. This debut production of the Russian play in England generated much interest and led to a significant number of productions by rep companies around the country in the wake of the London production.
○ Joan Macalpine - who had worked with the company between 1960 and 1961 as theatre manager - was one of the few female directors too work with the company between 1955 and 1976 alongside Pamela Craig (1969), Janet Dale (1974 - 1975), Rosamund Dickson (1964) Matyelok Gibbs (1972) and Caroline Smith (1971).
○ This was a translation of the original play by Ariadne Nicolaeff.
○ The 1968 summer season is unique in the company's history in that none of the acting company had ever worked at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre before and none of them would rejoin the company in subsequent years.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.