Play on teens' phone addiction debuts at Commons

A show by a Kent-based theatre director about mobile phone use among young people is to be shown at the House of Commons.

Generation Fomo - Fear of Missing Out - is based on Isabelle Defaut's interviews with people aged 11-25 about their relationships with phones and social media.

The artistic director of Portrait Theatre, one of University of Kent's graduate theatre companies, believes children want respite from the technology.

"They know they're addicted and they're angry with tech companies," Defaut, 50, said.

Citing Denmark's plan to ban smartphones in schools, Defaut said she supports a "proper ban" in UK schools.

She would also back a prohibition similar to Australia's, where under 16s are banned from using social media.

The showing at the House of Commons on Wednesday will be in the Jubilee Room, above the chamber.

There will also be a post-show discussion with a panel of teachers.

All MPs, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have been invited - but Defaut says she does not know if he will attend.

Starmer has said he is against banning phones for children under 16..

Defaut hopes that, if he does attend, he "takes the views of these young people home" and changes his position on a ban.

University of Kent senior theatre lecturer, Jayne Thompson, said the School of Arts and Architecture was pleased to have helped develop Generation Fomo.

"Staff and alumni have contributed by providing testimonies, mentoring and performing at different stages of the work," she said.

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