A new production, A DoL House, will run at The Big House from 17 June to 11 July 2026, with a press night set for 23 June.
Written by BAFTA-winning playwright David Watson and directed by Maggie Norris, the play draws on real-life interviews to examine the escalating use of Deprivation of Liberty orders in the UK.
The drama follows fifteen-year-old Leyla, confined in an unregistered placement home under constant surveillance, as it explores the blurred line between protection and control.
Performed by a cast of three alumni from The Big House’s Open House programme, the production highlights the experiences of care-affected young people.
The play reflects a growing crisis, with a significant rise in the use of DoL orders as emergency measures increasingly become long-term solutions amid shortages in mental health services and secure housing.
Writer David Watson said, “The young people subject to these orders are sat in unregulated placements, watched for twenty-four hours a day. It’s something of that claustrophobia with which we hope to confront the audience. I think they’ll be shocked at what’s happening under the radar in the name of care; I know I was. I hope they’ll be moved at the plight of Leyla and the young people she stands for. There’s an absurdity to the situation, too, which brings its own strange comedy, and I know the actors are doing a brilliant job of bringing out all its different shades. I can’t wait to see more light shed on DoL orders, and to see an audience enter our DoL’s house.”
The cast includes Anais Lone as Leyla, alongside James Atwell and Jag Zarif Hussain.
The creative team features video and sound designer Mic Pool, set and costume designer Shaquelle Devroux, lighting designer Nell Golledge and stage manager Fae Hochgemuth, with Joly Black producing for The Big House.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
