About the Show
- What inspired you to reimagine the classic Pied Piper story through hip-hop, beatboxing, and contemporary music?
I’ve always been drawn to stories that feel timeless but still urgent. Pied Piper is really about power, promises, community and young people being unheard — and that felt incredibly relevant today. Hip-hop has always been a voice for communities and for youth culture, so it felt like the perfect language to retell this story.
Beatboxing in particular has something raw and ancient about it — it’s rhythm, breath and body — which connected beautifully with the mythic feel of the original tale.
There was also an ambiguity that I liked within the original story of the Pied Piper. Who is the good guy? Who Is the bad guy? The Piper can be seen as the good guy, but he also wants revenge when he is wronged. This is nuanced. Like Shakespeare says ‘there is nothing neither good nor bad but thinking makes it so’.
I’m interested in nuance and I do think we have become polarised as a society. Even ‘good’ people who I know sometimes tend to demonise others with different views, and I wish we could get away from that.
- What do you think surprises audiences most when they first experience this version of Pied Piper?
People are often surprised by how cinematic and emotionally rich it feels — created entirely with voices. They come in expecting something niche or novelty-based, and instead they get a full musical experience with narrative drive, humour, darkness and heart. I think audiences are also blown away by the level of skill — the beatboxing, harmonies and storytelling all happening live.
About the Creative Process
- Can you talk about the creation process with Beatbox Academy and how the show evolved?
The process was very collaborative. Beatbox Academy isn’t just a cast — it’s a creative ecosystem. We started with the story and themes, then explored sound worlds through improvisation. A lot of the music grew out of the performers experimenting with rhythm, texture and character. The show evolved organically — shaped by the strengths of the artists in the room and the young people we worked with along the way. I guided this process , thus I’m the writer . But everyone is involved , and contributed words also.
- How do you write music for performers whose instruments are their voices?
It’s about listening deeply. Every performer’s voice has a unique texture and personality, so I write with them rather than for them. I think in layers — bass, rhythm, melody, atmosphere and then sculpt those using vocal techniques. Silence and breath are just as important as sound. It’s less about traditional notation and more about feel, groove and storytelling.
- What were the biggest artistic challenges in creating this show—and the most joyful moments?
One of the biggest challenges was balancing accessibility with complexity — making something families can enjoy while still pushing the artform forward. The most joyful moments came from seeing ideas click: when a scene suddenly came alive through sound, or when a young performer realised what their voice could do in a theatrical context.
Working within community contexts , we worked with people with varying experience in performing. Creating a piece that needed to work with many different participants or performers that we were yet to meet was a challenge. But this is one the exciting parts of the show. We never know who we are going to me, and what the performance will be like. We just know that we are skilled working with and welcoming all performers and creating incredible performances.
About Working With Young People
- Your shows often involve young community performers. What do you enjoy most about working with emerging artists?
Their fearlessness. Young artists aren’t boxed in yet — they’re open, curious and willing to take risks. Working with them reminds me why I started making work in the first place.
There’s something powerful about creating a space where young people feel seen, heard and trusted as artists.
- Why is it important to you to offer opportunities for young people to explore beatboxing and hip-hop theatre?
Because these artforms are accessible. You don’t need expensive instruments or prior training just your voice and imagination. Hip-hop theatre- in our case specifically beatboxing, rapping, spoken word- gives young people tools to tell their stories, build confidence and find community. For some, it’s a creative outlet; for others, it becomes a pathway into the arts industry.
About Hip-Hop Theatre
- How would you describe hip-hop theatre to someone who hasn’t seen it before? Hip-hop theatre is storytelling powered by rhythm, movement and voice. It blends theatre, music and hip-hop culture into something that’s raw, poetic and immediate. It’s not about spectacle for its own sake — it’s about connection, truth and energy.
About Touring and Communities
- What excites you most about bringing Pied Piper to towns like Scarborough, Derby, Medway, Leeds and Hull?
These places have rich creative communities and strong youth cultures. I’m excited about meeting new audiences who might not see work like this often — and about working with local young performers who bring their own voices and perspectives into the show. Touring outside London is vital — culture shouldn’t be centralised.
I love meeting new people and hearing their stories and their voices. It is a cultural sharing from both sides, and many of the cast wouldn’t have been to these places before.
- How does performing in places outside London shape the production or the cast’s experience?
It grounds the work. Different audiences respond in different ways, and that feeds back into the performance. It also strengthens the cast — touring together, connecting with communities, and seeing the impact first-hand reminds us why this work matters.
I think that it is important for the cast to visit places outside of london and not become too london centric. This country is very rich in culture and talent , and learning about these different places is very important
About Impact & Vision
- Pied Piper has received incredible reviews. Why do you think the show connects so strongly with audiences?
I think it’s honest. It doesn’t talk down to children or families, and it doesn’t shy away from darker themes. People recognise themselves in it — the humour, the injustice, the hope. And the live vocal element creates a shared experience that feels immediate and human.
I also think that the skills involved are unlike people would have seen and or heard before. To beatbox at this level, and sing, rap and dance throughout the whole time is a workout! I do think we develop the greatest vocal performers in the uk/world!
- What do you hope families—especially children—take away from seeing this musical?
I hope children leave feeling inspired — believing their voice matters, literally and metaphorically. For families, I hope it sparks conversations about fairness, responsibility and listening to young people. And above all, I hope they leave energised and joyful.
The cast is quite diverse and I hope that they see themselves up on that stage. I mean , we are actually taking some of them on the stage with us, through the community chorus!
- How do you hope this production influences the next generation of beatboxers or theatremakers?
I hope it shows them that there are no limits to where their skills can go. Beatboxing doesn’t have to stay on battle stages, and theatre doesn’t have to look one way. I want young artists to feel empowered to create their own lanes and tell their own stories.
The theatre industry – which obviously is a mythological term in many ways due to the disconnected nature of the business -is extremely biased , elitist and exclusive. Music and hip hop are not respected. Beatbox and rap isn’t respected. These are extremely cultured and skilled artforms – but because they come from the working class, the periphery they are denigrated and relegated. We aren’t a novelty. We aren’t tokens. We are the highly creative and highly skilled and hopefully we are highlighted a segment of the artistic community which is often sidelined. When you combine hip hop with community , and participation work, you have two maligned artforms intersectioned….Yet. We have created 5 star award winning shows of the highest quality and always innovating. We wanted to raise the bar, and raise ambitions, educating both artists and audiences.
- What’s next for you and for Beatbox Academy after this tour?
We’re continuing to develop new work that pushes vocal performance and hip-hop theatre forward, alongside expanding our education and outreach programmes. This tour is just one
chapter. I’m currently writing a hip-hop theatre adaptation of Peter Pan for Polka Theatre for Christmas 2026, and I’m also in the early stages of developing Mics & Men, inspired by Of Mice and Men with an incredible group of young artists and the Chelsea theatre.
The bigger vision is about building a sustainable future for the artform and for the artists coming through it. We now have many Beatbox Academy alumni leading workshops — both within the organisation and out in the world — spreading our ethos and helping to shape the industry.
A lot of it continuing is due to my personal passion and perseverance. I’m a dad now and financially the industry is harder. I’m looking for ways to be able to sustain responsibly as I’m a finite resource , and I know how things change if a founder leaves. I have to create something that can continue because we will always have challenges with each generation.