Process of making:

There were three young men who had recently completed an intensive drama course and were eager and passionate, truly hungry for it. Among them, one had been involved in scriptwriting from a young age, another had acted in and produced some advertisements, and the third was highly proactive in bringing people together. Additionally, there was a new staff member who had joined us; she was forward-thinking, worked for the NHS, and was very interested in exploring theatre as part of a therapeutic workshop. The chaplain suggested, "Let's do it; we can hold it in the Chapel." Everything just fell into place when they approached me about it. "Although I had no prior experience in this area, the enthusiasm was there, and all I needed to do was open the class and oversee it." said Christopher Millins, the founder of CAP UK.

 

I was only at that particular prison two days a week, attending two sessions each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, totalling four sessions. We used the art sessions to paint the backdrops and utilised our limited writing and music production sessions for them to write the songs.

 

We had a framework they wanted to contribute to, aiming to express something positive. They wrote lyrics that were truly uplifting and supportive, intended to help people on their journeys, rather than focusing on themes like gangster life. We incorporated various elements, such as creating props, writing lyrics, singing songs, and learning scripts, all interwoven with those times.

 

The performances:

 

In the week leading up to Christmas, there ended up being five performances, one each day. Every day, the participants would return to the room, sitting in a circle, and eagerly sharing how the experience was affecting them, how it was changing them, and why it was important. They expressed having a more positive outlook and mindset for when they leave prison. Some of their comments were incredibly moving. "I would find myself staying late, typing up their reflections for hours after my usual departure time, just to capture the impact it had on these prisoners. It was truly remarkable; I had never experienced anything like it before or since. This was the power of art by prisoners." said Chris.

 

When I reflect on that period, it was truly an incredible time filled with excitement and energy. It was transforming the prison, and everyone was discussing it throughout the facility. People wanted all the flyers and put them up everywhere, allowing most of the prisoners and a large portion of the staff to see them, including the governance.