The National Youth Theatre’s StoryFest is a new writing festival sponsored by STUDIOCANAL and Urban Myth Films. Returning this July, StoryFest 2025 features 10 bold new plays from breakout voices and 100+ young creatives.

StoryFest kicks off with Fucking White Boys, written by Gracie Oddie-James and directed by Jessica Enemokwu.

From the moment I entered the building, I was surrounded by young creatives here to support and engage with the work at the NYT. The atmosphere was welcoming and lively, with small groups chatting and a steady buzz of anticipation before the show began. It felt like a space where emerging talent was genuinely valued and where people had come with a real interest in seeing fresh, new work take the stage.

Starring Leo Corbitt, Michael Freeman, Spin Glancy, Daisy Kakkar, and Gracie Oddie-James, Fucking White Boys is set at Christchurch College in Oxford University. The play explores sex, privilege and who’s fetishising who through the lens of a mixed-race young woman surrounded by posh white boys. It’s hinge meets Jane Austen.

The play appears to be rooted in the writer’s own experience studying History at Oxford University after attending the infamous Westminster School, leaving us with a story that feels specific and personal, yet taps into wider cultural conversations that exist beyond outdated elitist institutions. Directed by Jessica Enemokwu, the production brings a sharp focus to questions of identity, attraction, and power dynamics within privilege-driven academic spaces. Movement direction by Jerome Scott adds fluidity and intention to the piece, with well-executed transitions that keep the energy high and scenes flowing seamlessly, with a clear sense of collaboration throughout, from the close-knit ensemble to the confident shifts in pace and tone.

The play engages directly with issues of class, race and privilege, set against the backdrop of Oxford University and expensive private education. It explores who holds power in social and romantic dynamics, and how those positions are shaped by background and expectation. The themes are unambiguous and form the core of the narrative, with a focus on Jane Austen-ified social commentary. Still, the personal perspective keeps the material grounded, offering a fresh take on familiar conversations.

Catch Fucking White Boys at the NYT’s Workshop Theatre from 10 July to 12 July, with the broader event, StoryFest, running till 26 July.