Female performance promises to be divisive (8)
I believe the answer is:
factious
'be divisive' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'female performance promises' is the wordplay.
'female' becomes 'f' (common abbreviation).
'performance' becomes 'act' (act is a kind of performance).
'promises' becomes 'IOUs' (promises to pay a debt).
'f'+'act'+'ious'='FACTIOUS'
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for factious that I've seen before include "Quarrelsome" , "Characterised by internal strife" , "Ready to quarrel" , "Seditious, divisive" .)