Hard-Hitting School Play, My Name Is Tom, Puts Today’s Teenage Life Under The Microscope

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, My Name is Tom is a gripping new play that exposes the raw realities of teenage life in a digital world, sparking vital conversations about relationships, mental health, and the urgent need for drama education reform.

My Name Is Tom

In a world where smartphones, social media, and academic pressures dominate, My Name is Tom, a powerful new play script by Alan Spence, offers a raw and unflinching look at the challenges facing today’s teenagers.

Set to be published on August 21, 2025, this timely drama, set in North London, follows the emotional journey of Paris and Darnell, two young people navigating love, peer pressure, and the darker corners of a hyper-connected world. Far more than a coming-of-age story, My Name is Tom confronts issues like sexting, teenage pregnancy, and the alarming rise in young people consuming pornography, while highlighting the silence of adults too often distracted by their own lives.

At its heart, My Name is Tom is a love story between Paris, a bold and determined teenager, and Darnell, who is too shy to notice her interest at first. When they finally connect, their relationship becomes the talk of their North London community—but not all the chatter is kind. A weekend party, meant to be a romantic escape from the grind of A-Level revision, spirals into chaos, exposing Paris, Darnell, and others to the harsh realities of their choices in a digital world. Set in 2011, the play’s themes remain strikingly relevant, reflecting the ongoing struggles of young people today.

The narrative doesn’t shy away from the dangers teenagers face, from peer pressure to the devastating rise in “sextortion”—a growing cause of youth suicides, particularly among young men. Spence’s script serves as both a mirror to society and a call to action, urging educators, parents, and communities to confront these issues head-on.

More Than a Play: A Catalyst for Change

My Name is Tom is a multi-faceted project designed to spark critical discussions about sex, relationships, and emotional well-being. The handbook, aimed at schools, colleges, youth theatres, and community groups, includes a 50-minute script, full production details, and educational materials. It also features a historical overview of schooling, sex education, and drama in the curriculum from the 1960s to today, alongside interviews with leading professionals like Vicky Ireland, Dr. Geoff Readman, and John Berry. A powerful testimony advocating for a National Plan for Drama and Theatre Education underscores the play’s mission to reinvigorate drama as a tool for addressing societal challenges.

Spence envisions a four-part educational and creative programme, including workshops, school tours, and collaborations with institutions to bring My Name is Tom into classrooms and theatres nationwide. The play, which premiered in Enfield, North London, in January 2016, resonates even more today as government initiatives continue to fall short in providing effective Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE). Drawing on guidance from organizations like the Sex Education Forum, Oak National Academy, and the United Nations, the handbook offers practical solutions to support young people’s emotional well-being.

A Play for Students and Society

My Name is Tom appeals to GCSE and A-Level students of Drama, Theatre, History, Sociology, Politics, Economics, and English, offering a rich resource for exploring contemporary issues through performance and discussion. By placing teenage relationships under the microscope, the play fosters empathy, encourages critical thinking, and highlights the consequences of adult disengagement in a tech-driven world. It challenges pupils, parents, caregivers, and educators to bridge the gap between generations and address the silent struggles of today’s youth.

About the Author: Alan Spence

Alan Spence, born in South Bank, Middlesbrough, brings a wealth of experience to My Name is Tom. After overcoming early setbacks, including failing the 11+ and facing redundancy from British Steel in 1980, Spence pursued a BEd in Drama and History at Middlesex Polytechnic, followed by an MA in Film and Television from London University. With 25 years as a drama teacher, head of department, and GCSE/A-Level examiner, he also ran his own theatre company, Theatre is Real Life, from 2009 to 2018. A member of the Society of Authors, National Drama, and the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance, Spence joined the board of Printers Playhouse in Eastbourne in 2025, where he serves as a drama tutor and community choir member.

My Name is Tom is Spence’s third published play, following The BORO’s 37mins (2022) and Nowt Like This in America (2023). He is currently working on Epilogue, a sequel to Nowt Like This in America, and a one-person play about Hamish Mann, a Black Watch officer, playwright, and poet who died in World War I.

A Call to Action

My Name is Tom is more than a play—it’s a rallying cry for meaningful change in how we address the emotional and social challenges facing young people. By shining a light on the dangers of a digital world and the power of drama education, Spence’s work invites us all to listen, engage, and act. As the play prepares to reach schools and theatres across the UK, it promises to spark vital conversations and inspire solutions for a generation caught between screens and silence.

Find more from Alan Spence now:

MY NAME IS TOM: THE EDUCATION PROJECT FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, YOUTH THEATRES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

https://nowmeetthewriteralanspence.blogspot.com/2025/07/my-name-is-tom-education-project-for.html