A China Plate and Belgrade Theatre Co-Production
Run time: Approximately 65 minutes
Age: 14+
Content warnings: Contains strong language and a reference to suicide. There are references to racism throughout.
"… an exceptional piece of work, deftly handled by the impressive Casey Bailey"
Birmingham Review on Grimeboy
Written by Casey Bailey
Directed by Gail Babb
“They will tell you that legal and illegal are the same as right and wrong. And I’ve told you that you only have to sit still for a moment and watch the pieces move to see what a lie that is.”
Written by former Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey (GrimeBoy, Birmingham Rep) and directed by award-winning theatre maker, Gail Babb (Stars, Tamasha – OFFIE’S Best New Play 2024), Please Do Not Touch is a brand-new co-production between China Plate and Belgrade Theatre.
An extension of Casey’s poetry collection of the same name, Please Do Not Touch follows the story of Mason, a social justice TikToker, as he visits heritage houses to uncover the true stories behind the objects that live within.
After an incident with a Somali Afro comb, Mason finds himself inside a Young Offender Institution. Now in the belly of the systems he is protesting, Mason uses the power of poetry to survive his ordeal and navigate how to keep speaking up when everything is designed to silence him.
Join us for this world premiere, which asks important questions about colonial legacy, contested heritage and how stories are told, whilst shining a light on the criminal justice system.
“One of Birmingham’s best and brightest voices.” – Vanessa Kisuule
“Rooted in local issues and lives, it is utterly refreshing to see this kind of theatre, spoken with its own poetic, streetwise argot.” – The Guardian on Grimeboy
Interested in hearing more about Please Do Not Touch? Writer Casey Bailey and producer Jade Samuels recorded an episode for The Belgrade Pod; unpacking the show and its themes – you can listen via Spotify or Podbean.
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, for making this project possible.
Photo © Arnim Friess
Written by former Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey, Please Do Not Touch asks important questions about colonial legacy, contested heritage and how stories are told, offering a rich stimulus for exploration and conversation in your school.
Recommended: Year 10+ Drama, History, English & PSHE
Matinee performances aimed at schools will take place on Thursday 12th September and Thursday 19th September at 1.30pm at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. Other performance dates are available, please visit the Belgrade Theatre website for more information.
Tickets are £8, plus one teacher free with every 10 pupils. Please email [email protected] to make a booking.
An invitation from Casey Bailey:
Schools attending the show will receive a free digital resource featuring Casey Bailey, inviting young people to create their own poetry responses, exploring the things they feel passionately about. The resource will guide your class through the writing process.
If you have any questions, please contact Jade Samuels on [email protected]
Following its world premiere in September at the Belgrade Theatre, in collaboration with the National Trust, performances of Please Do Not Touch will be hosted at Attingham Park in Shropshire on Tuesday 24 September and Upton House & Gardens in Warwickshire on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 September.
Join the cast and creative team after the show on 24 September at Attingham Park and 27 September at Upton House & Garden for a post-show discussion. This provides an excellent opportunity to gain insight into the new play, its themes and how it was made. Both post-show discussions are free after-show events and will last approximately 25-30 minutes.
These performance dates will also have live BSL interpretation. For more information, please visit the property ticket pages below:
Attingham Park
Upton House & Gardens, Warwickshire
In addition to hosting performances of the play, the National Trust is working with our production team and community groups to give young people from Coventry and Birmingham an opportunity to explore some of the themes raised in the play and generate their own creative responses.
© Arnim Friess
© Arnim Friess
© Arnim Friess
Find out more about the former Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey and his brand-new play Please Do Not Touch.
Written by Jade Samuels
Take in new places and hear new voices with a co-created digital walk of Handsworth.
Read more
A day long festival offering a jam-packed taster menu of new theatre from the Midlands.
Read more
