Interview: Exploring inclusion with bubble wrap and bananas

Daryl Beeton on investigating what it’s like to feel Boxed In

Daryl & Co are packing up ready to set off around England with their fabulously fun show Boxed In. It’s an exciting collaboration between this disabled-led theatre company, led by Creative Director Daryl Beeton, and specialists in productions for young people, the Half Moon Theatre. ET reviewed the show in an earlier incarnation, but we wanted to find out more about what they have packed into it for this new tour, so pulled Daryl in for a chat.

Hi Daryl. Thanks so much for talking to us about Boxed In. Can you give us a flavour of what the show is about? I suspect you’re going to say ‘bananas’…

Yes, there are quite a few bananas, bubble wrap and plenty of boxes! Boxed In is a quirky children’s show that follows the journey of someone who is made to feel naughty, just because the rules don’t make sense. It explores neurodiversity in a playful and inventive way.

Boxed In is predominantly non-verbal, using very limited words, such as ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. It’s a highly visual show that uses movement, visual storytelling, humour and a touch of chaos to explore the invisible rules of behaviour, the way people act and what others think you should do – and invites us all to imagine a world where everyone feels they belong.

What kind of performance styles do you find work well with the 3-6 years age range?

All our work at Daryl & Co. is mainly non-verbal and visual. We don’t make shows about ‘issues’, but our approach is to allow audiences to create their own solutions to the themes we present. But this can only happen if our young audiences have engaged with and enjoyed a story that is playful, emotional and relevant to their lives.

So, our productions don’t educate, as such, advocating instead that there are not always correct answers or solutions when talking about or addressing prejudice, social injustices, equality and social inclusion.

Like any good story, Boxed In allows the audience to join up their own dots, think creatively and ask questions so they can discover their own answers to complex issues, even at an early age, through experiencing a high-quality theatre adventure.

Our focus is always on inclusivity and relevance, taking the young audience on an engaging and emotional journey presented in a relaxed format in a variety of venues, increasing opportunities for audiences who may not have engaged with live theatre before, due to the social barriers that surround it.

Your productions are disabled-led, with inclusion and, importantly, fun at the centre of what you do. What challenges does this set you as a performer and creator?

The biggest challenge and joy when making work is the process of boiling down the theme, narrative and visual storytelling to its essence and then ensuring that it allows our young audiences to connect aspects of their own lives to it, making it feel relevant whilst also accessible.

The biggest and most annoying challenge is actually the inaccessibility of touring. We have to be careful about where we tour to and how we get there. A lot of venues are only accessible for audiences and not backstage!

Talk us through the devising process for Boxed In and how you used input from young children to create the show.

Children have been heavily involved in the creation of this show since 2018. Boxed In undertook two phases of R&D between 2018 and 2022 before touring the full production in 2024.

The original periods of R&D began with a residency at Globe Primary, Tower Hamlets, where we explored unspoken rules with children and asked them to help us create a story about someone that breaks the rules. This was followed by an R&D performance to continue a creative dialogue which valued the voices of young people, enabling them to be our creative partners in the creation of this work.

Our approach values the voices of young people and the story, so instead of being didactic, the show is engaging and creative.

Can you tell us about the set design and how it helps the audience to negotiate the story?

The design uses everyday objects that are common and well known to our young audiences, such as boxes, bananas, tape and symbols such as arrows or other visual clues. All of these mean the audience can instantly relate to what’s on stage. It’s then about how the characters interact with them and give them meaning.

For example, one character’s frustration on not being able to find the ‘right way up’ of a box allows our audience to connect and feel the frustration of ‘getting it wrong’.

You’re taking the show on tour this summer to places across the country stretching from London to Sheffield and back again. Has your choice of venues ever been limited by their ability to fully meet access needs, for example with yourself using a wheelchair?

Yes, we are always aware of which venues are accessible. Our access rider states that the venue and performance space need to be step free for both audience and performers, so we must only tour to venues that can meet our requirements.

Is Boxed In also going to be available to people who can’t get out to the theatre?

Yes, once the tour is over on Sunday 28 June 2026 you can watch it On Demand via the Half Moon website. We make the digital version of our shows because we are aware that going to see shows at venues is still inaccessible for a lot of people! At the start of 2025, the On Demand version was featured in The Guardian newspaper as one of their best theatre shows to stream online.

Thanks very much to Daryl for such a brilliant insight into this playful and thought-provoking production.

Boxed In is aimed at ages 3-6 and runs at Half Moon Theatre from Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 May before touring across England.