‘Insiders’ toured twelve Scottish prisons over four weeks in March. The play was performed 22 times, and reached an audience of 406 prisoners.
The play was developed during lockdown, in partnership with men in HMP Shotts, and originally performed over a live webcast.
The play contained many relevant themes for our post-pandemic age, such as bereavement, addiction, living with guilt and holding on to faith in difficult times, so after a few updates, we were keen to take it on the road.
It tells the story of Danny, Craig and Richard. Craig’s new found faith has aided his recovery, but when he gets bad news from home, he relapses and overdoses. Despite this setback, he reconnects with his belief and continues on his recovery journey, causing Danny and Richard to questions their own anger and cynicism.
Of the many hundreds of thoughts and reflections we received about the piece, here are just a few of the most powerful:
I suffered with server anger issues and never build a relationship with my family because of it but after hearing Craig and Danny’s stories, it’s made me reflect how that behaviour actually affects my family and will be looking to work on that.
I lost of my father & step father to cancer, I found myself crying. Thank you, I needed it.
It helped me to understand about what I have done and what thoughts I put my victims through.
Although lately I’ve been and felt lost, about to give up, I have new hope. If I can feel that, then even the hardest in prison might. Thank you for this.
I need to get back to church. Connect with God again. Life is suffering & God is peace from that suffering, i.e. the answer and is accessible anytime…
It showed that people do understand the struggles and hard times inside, and that there is hope and help there for us.
One day, if I get the chance, I’ll take a page out of their book and help prisoners out with my own creativity as they have done for me.
Thank you to everyone who came, and the many people who worked so hard to make the tour such a success.
Sam Rowe – Creative Expression Co-ordinator