Fried Chicken

'Fried Chicken' was created in collaboration with students from Anstee Bridge, during a project focused on exploring themes of gang culture, violence, and bullying. The inspiration sparked from a powerful true story in the news - a shopkeeper who locked his doors to shield a young person from a violent gang attack. That act of bravery became the emotional thread of our story - if we can be physically safe, can we leave and feel emotionally safe. 

 

Throughout the process, the students took on the role of dramaturgs - shaping the dialogue, updating cultural references, and ensuring that the story’s use of language and social media reflected the real world they live in.

The play was first brought to life at the Arthur Cotterell Theatre and later featured as part of a youth crime awareness conference in Richmond, where its authenticity and urgency resonated with young people across the borough. 

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Director’s Note - Making Fried Chicken Your Own

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Fried Chicken is designed to be flexible - it’s not about sticking to the script word-for-word, it’s about making it feel real for the people performing it. Every group brings their own voice, energy, and experience to the piece - and that’s exactly how it should be.

 

Here are a few ways you can shape the play to make it your own.

 

Language

Language moves fast. The way young people speak now might already be different from when this was first written. Feel free to change dialogue so it sounds like how your group talks. Workshop it with your young people - swap out words, add in slang, tweak tone. Just make sure it feels natural and not like it’s trying too hard.

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Social Media

Socials are a huge part of how conflict plays out and spreads. Update the platforms -  maybe it’s TikTok or BeReal now, maybe it’s group chats or DMs on Insta. You can show how posts go viral, how beef starts in comments, or how someone performs a version of themselves online that’s very different to real life. 

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Character

 

Let the cast bring themselves into the roles. That could be through accent, fashion, background, or music taste. Casting doesn’t need to be fixed - swap genders, explore non-binary or fluid identities, or reframe relationships to reflect different dynamics. The shopkeeper, for example, could be a peer, a sibling, or someone with a past - not just the “helpful adult” figure.

 

Style & Staging

 

Where the play is set is up to you - it doesn’t have to stay in a chicken shop. Maybe it’s a corner store or a vape shop. You could use projections to show what’s happening on characters’ phones, or swap monologues for voice notes. Music, costume, lighting - all of it can be shaped to suit your cast and audience. The goal is to make it feel alive, current, and yours.

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This story is just the starting point. What matters is that it sparks conversation, feels true to your group, and connects with the people watching it. So take it, remix it, and make it your own.