Initial casting announced for new play TOP Gs LIKE ME at Royal & Derngate
Royal & Derngate has announced initial casting for the world premiere of Top Gs Like Me, a brand new play by Samson Hawkins, directed by Artistic Director Jesse Jones, which plays at the Northampton venue from 21 February-7 March.
The funny, bold and unfiltered production asks big questions of the online space and how it influences young minds, inside an auditorium totally transformed to reflect Northampton’s Radlands skatepark. The theatre, which was recently awarded the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre in the UK Theatre Awards, is staging the production with an ambition that thousands of young people and their teachers and parents will see it, with specific initiatives to target the student population.
Initial casting includes Danny Hatchard (EastEnders; Our Girl, BBC One) and David Schaal (The Inbetweeners, Channel 4; The Office, BBC).
The groundbreaking new work follows a group of rudderless young adults, diving headfirst into the influence of online culture, the pull of toxic masculinity, and the search for identity in the digital age. It centres on the sometimes dangerous, coercive, relationships that young people can have with digital algorithms and with influential figures who curry ideological favour with people on the cusp of adulthood, getting to them via the quick endorphins and short-cut culture of poisonous social media.
Aidan’s lost. His best mate’s starting uni, his mum can’t get out of bed, and his new side hustle has questionable legality. Meanwhile, he’s stacking shelves at the supermarket wondering if this is all he’s cut out for. He’s got hobbies – hanging out at the skate park and doomscrolling his days away.
As he’s lapping up the algorithm, “Hugo Bang” appears with the promise to help Aidan become the alpha he was born to be. Will Hugo Bang help Aidan get his life back on track, or will he lead Aidan to a darker, more dangerous place?
David Schaal said: “I’m genuinely excited to be working on Top Gs Like Me. The piece really resonates with me – it blends the reality of the world we live in with the surreal, unpredictable space of the internet in a way I find both gripping and necessary.
“What really draws me to this project is how it explores the challenges Generation Z face in a world that’s constantly shifting beneath their feet – and how powerful online forces can warp, shape, or even define their sense of identity. It feels urgent, relevant, and deeply human.”
Danny Hatchard added: “I’m chuffed to be part of a show that dives straight into how online culture shapes and warps young people today. Hugo Bang is a fascinating character to explore, and Samson’s writing doesn’t shy away from the tough questions. Performing this piece at Royal & Derngate feels like both a privilege and a meaningful responsibility.”
The production has set and costume design by Rebecca Brower, with lighting by Rory Beaton, sound by Benjamin Grant, casting by Kristian Wall, and dramaturgy by Lauren Mooney.