Projects

The Citz at HMP Barlinnie

Staff from Citizens Learning will use drama to engage prisoners in creative approaches to learning. Based in the prison’s Learning Centre, the aim is that these theatre workshops encourage learning in other areas and help prisoners gain useful qualifications. There will be 3 phases to the project delivered throughout the year.






Photo from our 2009 project in HMP Barlinnie



More about our PRISON WORK

ACTOR FACTOR
This introductory course will use drama to inspire confidence building and positive well-being. The course will enable group members to build their confidence whilst working on a range of drama techniques, improvisation, devising and using short extracts from scripts. This will be a fun, lively educational course geared up for those interested in performing which will also improve literacy skills by encouraging reading from scripts.
WHAT’S THE STORY
This course will focus on developing creative writing skills. The sessions will involve story development, in spoken and written form. The group will be led by a writer and theatre facilitator. During the sessions short existing texts will be explored and new material written nurturing both individual and group writing skills. There will be a culmination of the rehearsed readings, performed by professional actors as well as the prisoners themselves. This will have additional digital sound support.
PERFORMANCE PROJECT
The culmination of our three terms in HMP Barlinnie will see twice weekly rehearsals develop the creative stories written in Phase 2, into a live performance for an invited audience. The sessions will follow a rehearsal process, bringing the stories to life, leading to a final small scale play, which will showcase the participants work from design and build, to writing, sound design and performance. Digital sound, set and costume will be provided.
DESIGN AND BUILD
Designers and carpenters from the Citizens Theatre will collaborate with Motherwell College and SPS staff. They will work within the art classes to design a portable stage platform and a Barlinnie Theatre Company backdrop.The Citizens Theatre carpenters will work with SPS trainee- joiners to build the stage platform. This will encourage transferrable skills and provide an insight into theatre design and construction.