An award-winning theatre and digital arts company wowed a different kind of audience at the end of last year, as part of a nationwide tour.
No Place Productions (NPP), a touring company creating theatre for social change, visited HMP Styal to perform their first live tour since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
‘DAY OUT’ is a brand new, live theatre performance and facilitated discussion. It follows the struggles of Joe, a mechanic who finds himself in prison for the first time, as well as his family who are trying to cope without him.
Written based on a number of true experiences woven together, ‘DAY OUT’ innovatively explores issues such as substance misuse, isolation, regret and recovery.
The play, held in the prison’s gym, received rave reviews for its creativity and brutal honesty. One audience member said, “It was so real and it just blew me away”.
After the performance, the audience were invited to ask questions based on matters brought up by the plot and characters, such as substance misuse recovery within secure environments. This was particularly significant for the women, especially in the run up to Christmas.
“It was a brilliant and inspiring event, and really engaging and motivating for the women”, said Alex Devine, Spectrum’s Recovery Service Manager at HMP Styal, who organised NPP’s visit.
NPP has also toured other secure venues in the North, including HMP Lancaster Farms, HMP Kirkham and HMP Preston – all prisons where Spectrum is the leader provider of healthcare.
