I Love You, Mum - I Promise I Won't Die (Plays for Young People)

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A verbatim play written by Mark Wheeller using the testimonies of Daniel Spargo-Mabbs’ friends and family. It would also be interesting to see how different directors would approach it – there are a variety of staging choices that could bring this tragic story to life. Like everything else in this show, the garden designed by Sorcha Corcoran, is beautiful with lots of colour, light and plants that Grandad knows by name and talks to.

For ‘I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’, Mark used verbatim theatre to take the actual words of Dan’s family and friends, recorded in a series of interviews, which were painstakingly transcribed and then turned into the script of this two-act play. Most purchases from business sellers are protected by the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 which give you the right to cancel the purchase within 14 days after the day you receive the item. I remember crying as I related it to my wife – not because it was sad, but because it was brimful of love. Mark was on record early on as saying this is by far the best play he had written to date, partly at least because he feels the words he was given by all those involved, Dan’s family and friends, are so open, honest and eloquent.

Perhaps this scene was built around the parting shot, the last time a loved one leaves the family home, a casual everyday gesture of slipping into a hoodie, forever after a sacred memory and the moments perhaps, when life stands still for those left behind. Ben Glasstone’s charming, witty account of The Emperor Who Has No Clothes works well for two main reasons. They wear a simple costume item for each person, such as a cardigan or spectacles, swiftly changing from scene to scene. Then the first half consists of wild dancing separating out the verbatim interviews with Mark Wheeller. David Chafer (Mark) is perfectly hesitant as he explores Dan’s life from Year 7 onwards with his friends.

by Louisa Reid Published by Guppy Books Cassandra, narrator of this powerful verse novel, is a reluctant sixth former in a prestigious mixed school, formerly all boys, where toxic culture simmers. I Love You, Mum - I Promise I Won't Die , was originally commissioned by the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation , the drug education charity. An important and often overlooked route into the industry, especially for many non-performing roles. A talented, creative “lovely boy” with a passion for helping others who’s always on the side of the underdog.This first tour to theatres is taking the play to a whole new audience outside schools, where it’s been touring for the last few years. Through his incredible skill, and the huge talent and commitment of the young people and team of Oasis Youth Theatre, these raw words were transformed into a stunning performance that brought the audience to tears at each of its performances. Mark Wheeller is familiar to most Drama teachers, whether through his most well-known play Too Much Punch For Judy, his drama schemes and lesson plans, or from his inclusion on set text lists with Missing Dan Nolan (OCR), Hard To Swallow and, most recently, I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won't Die (both Eduqas). It is deeply moving, truly heartbreaking, and challenging as it touches on what we can do to help stop this happening to others.

Spargo-Mabbs OBE, said: “This is such an exciting development for us as a drug education charity, and also as Dan’s mum and dad.I remember crying as I related it to my wife - not because it was sad, but because it was brimful of love. It was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 2018 by Lloyd Theatre Arts, gaining official five-star reviews, and again as part of the online Fringe in 2021 with TiU Theatre’s filmed production, again getting great reviews. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Elliot Montgomery’s production for Octopus Dream Theatre is powerful, poignant and intensely moving, from the boisterous roistering of the early stages to a quiet stillness that overwhelms the audience.

I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won't Die is the true story of Daniel Spargo-Mabbs, just 16 years old when he died of an MDMA overdose – the title being his final words to his mum.When sixteen-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs dies on a night out at a rave after taking a lethal dose of MDA family, friends and teachers are left shocked and grief-stricken. This was first performed in 2016 and since then has chalked up any number of performances in schools and theatres. Here, he was sold a lethal dose of MDMA (the powdered form of ecstasy) after which he suffered multiple organ failure. The hoodie symbolising Dan was such an amazing concept to show everyone had a part of Dan in them and they were also a part of him and… Dan could be anyone. Conversations after seeing a play like this let the audience into the decision making process, problem solving and understanding the consequences.