Royal & Derngate, Northampton will present the world premiere of Top G’s Like Me, a new play by Samson Hawkins (Village Idiot) directed by Artistic Director Jesse Jones (Education, Education, Education). The production will explore the impact of the online space on young minds, transforming the auditorium to reflect Northampton’s Radlands skatepark.
The play, opening next Spring, follows a group of young adults navigating toxic masculinity, misogyny, and consent issues in a post-playground world. It highlights the dangerous relationships young people can form with digital algorithms and influential online figures.
Jesse Jones, Artistic Director, Royal & Derngate, Northampton said: “In our classrooms, online, and on our streets some young people are having ever more misogynistic and extremist views that are parroted verbatim from online personalities. We know that it is ever more difficult for young people to escape the grasp of this manipulation as they are only ever one swipe away from it.”
The production aims to engage thousands of young people, particularly students, through performances and participatory sessions. Royal & Derngate’s Beyond the Stage programme will offer Q&A sessions and workshops on online safety and creative processes.
An installation and workshop titled Street Art, Street Culture, Activism and Social Change will accompany the production, featuring 360 pieces of street art created by community groups.
Open auditions for the lead role in Top G’s Like Me are now available to anyone, regardless of professional experience.
Top G’s Like Me was developed through Generate, Royal & Derngate’s artist development programme, in partnership with Andy Routledge. It runs from Friday 20 February to Saturday 7 March 2026.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
