“Rulebook to Society”
Rulebook to Society is my original musical - born out of lived experience and first performed as part of the RISE Festival at Chickenshed.
It tells the story of a neurodivergent protagonist trying to navigate a world obsessed with rules, conformity, and control.
The first sharing was raw, messy, and powerful. Audience members described it as “honest,” “brave,” and “something we’ve never seen on stage before.” It was more than a performance - it was protest, storytelling, and survival turned into art.
Now, I’m developing Rulebook to Society further. This project is evolving into a full-scale production that will continue to challenge ableism and tokenism, while celebrating difference as strength.
At its heart, Rulebook to Society is about more than one character. It’s about every disabled and neurodivergent person who has been told they don’t belong. It says: we don’t need to follow your rulebook. We’ll write our own.
Rulebook to Society is a one-woman musical-in-progress by Hannah Whitfield exploring neurodivergence, identity, trauma, survival and the invisible “rules” society expects us all to follow.
Blending spoken word, theatre, music and creative activism, the show follows Primrose - a young woman navigating systems that constantly misread, misunderstand and punish her difference.
Funny, painful, chaotic and unapologetically honest, this special sharing at Theatre Deli marks the beginning of the show’s journey towards a full Fringe production at FUSE International on 5th July 2026.
This sharing of Rulebook to Society is part of an ongoing R&D and development process. Rather than “reviews,” I’m currently looking for thoughtful dramaturgical feedback around the structure, storytelling, staging, transitions, world-building and future direction of the piece.
I’m especially interested in ideas around how the show could grow, who it most needs to reach, and how the theatrical language of the piece can become stronger, clearer and more impactful.
Honest, constructive and creatively curious responses are incredibly appreciated - this show is still evolving, and your feedback genuinely helps shape where it goes next.