New play explores boys' hidden stories at Dugdale Arts Centre

A new play, 'Stories Boys Don’t Like to Tell', co-written by youth mentor King Cas and Ellis Witter, will be performed at Enfield's Dugdale Arts Centre from October 9th to October 17th. The production aims to explore the hidden experiences and emotions of young men, tackling themes including fathers, sex, pornography, abuse, identity, race, faith, relationships, and rejection.

King Cas stated that the play was inspired by harrowing childhood experiences shared by young men he mentored between 2018 and 2019. He explained that after over a decade working with young people, he began to question the focus on addressing youth violence, suggesting a need to ask 'What happened to you, are you okay?' instead of 'What did you do?'.

Humanising Young Men's Experiences

The play follows a group of young men who appear to be laughing and joking, but are carrying unspoken burdens. King Cas noted that these themes are included not for dramatic effect, but because they stem from real lives. He shared a personal experience of mentoring an 18-year-old who revealed deeply distressing childhood events, leading King Cas to realise these were not isolated incidents.

King Cas believes a significant misunderstanding about boys is that they do not talk. He stated that boys do talk, but the difference lies in feeling safe. The play uses banter as a way for these conversations to occur, with humour acting as a defence mechanism and anger sometimes feeling more accessible than sadness. He suggested that when a man feels unconditionally safe, honesty can emerge.

The production also highlights the importance of fathers, stating that a father's affirmation, listening, and investment can profoundly shape a son's life. King Cas, whose own father left when he was 14, emphasised that he never doubted his father's love. He also acknowledged the role of women who have created supportive spaces for boys and stressed the need for healthy men to engage in honest conversations, admit when they do not know everything, apologise, show affection, and offer a model of courage.

The stories are presented through a 'black lens', reflecting their origins. King Cas expressed that Black boys should be allowed to be themselves without needing to conform to external ideas of Black identity. The play also incorporates faith, suggesting that compassionate listening sometimes means resisting the urge to provide simple answers and instead focusing on the individual.

Hopes for the Audience

King Cas hopes the play will encourage fathers to start conversations with their sons, older men to guide younger men with honesty, and women to recognise the insecurities men may carry. His primary hope is that boys will stop pretending they are okay when they are not. He believes that if even one person shares a story they have carried for years, the play's purpose will be fulfilled.

Six years after writing the play, King Cas stated that speaking is the beginning of a journey, not the end. He sees the stories shared by the boys he mentored as testimonies, and that they were not defined by their worst experiences but became men. The article is published as part of a partnership with Local Motion Enfield, focusing on young people's stories.