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Banged Out

Rob was commissioned to write this play for Leicestershire Educational Psychology Service. It has since toured Leicestershire Schools in 2004, and was performed at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre in 2005.

Rob wrote and directed the play, working with a fantastic group of actors over several weeks. The play is a powerful insight into the bully / victim relationship and the factors that maintain it.

Click here to read an Excerpt of 'Banged Out'

Drama: A Key To My New Life (Article)

John Carsley's strong performances in Rob's play BANGED OUT inspired a real life confrontation with his bully. Read his inspiring story here.

Evaluation

Leicestershire Educational Psychology Service compiled an evaluation of the impact of BANGED OUT, taken from audience questionnaires.
You can read the evaluation here (Microsoft Word Format).

Banged-Out review by Colin Stainton

Robert Higgs is a genius of our time. He is an artist of words with the world as his palette. His meticulously crafted writing is true to life. It shows how it really is, brutally raw and colourful.

Robert’s words were not penned down from his fascinating imagination. He lived the nightmare for real. His authentic visions and carefully crafted words are factual.

Robert’s highly successful play, Banged Out is a multi-layered piece of art that is astonishingly true-to-life and hits right to the core. The captivating mood will lure you into one boy’s bullied existence, and will take you on an excursion of reality that happens daily in every school.

The sheer realism that Robert has managed to include in this play, will give you an instantaneous insight into school bullying. It is bleak, ugly, and intimidating to the point that will leave you with a disagreeable taste and stinging tears.

Peter Allen (Ben) played a convincing victim and gave a wonderful performance. The heartfelt pain that he showed was typical of every bullied child. His beautiful performance was filled with a true sense of nervous tension, despair and sadness. The intense realism Peter showed was professional in every way.

Kym Smith (Thatcher) was so precise in his portrayal of the bully it sent a shudder through your soul. His remarkable performance was a mirror image of every school bully. To think, every day of the week, children have to face ‘Thatcher’s’ not just in this country, but also in every country of the world.

The compelling performances by Keegan Greenwood (Jess), Jessica Hollinshead (Karen), and Sam Halford (Sam) who bullied the mind of Ben, were undeniably superb, and played with a vehemence that shook the room.

Danielle Benn (Jody) and John Carsley (Chris) were without question, the image of every school playground. Their convincing performances showed how violent behaviour keeps the gathering hungry for more. An image that fuels the very heart of the fire, and keeps the flame ablaze for the victim to be burnt just that little bit more. And Dan Hope (Colin), was without question what every victim needs, ‘The Voice of Reason’. His splendid performance dowsed the sadness that filled the atmosphere, and gave hope to every victim who identified with Ben.

Banged Out was written with a genuine passion, and performed with a cast of future stars. This is one play you need to see.

Colin Stainton (Journalist)

"This powerful drama pulls no punches... an excellent start to involving students in developing a whole school approach to tackling bullying."

Vanessa Cooper, Anti-Bullying Alliance

"Banged Out is a multi-layered piece of art that is astonishingly true to life and captivates you right to the core."

Colin Stainton, Journalist

"Banged Out tackles the reality of bullying on a multitude of levels..."

Leicester Haymarket Theatre

Banged Out is available to LEA's wanting to stage a production in their area.

The play offers the chance for eight young actors to further develop their skills and get a powerful Anti-Bullying message across to their peers. Contact us for more details.