Red Ladder Theatre Company
http://www.redladder.co.uk/bm/news/news-november-11.shtmlRed Ladder and HMP Leeds Pilot Project
Following the opening of a new resettlement wing at HMP Leeds, Red Ladder are currently in the early stages of developing a relationship with the prison. Throughout October, Rod Dixon ran a taster course of four two hour sessions in Drama and Actor Training for inmates currently serving short sentences which included developing stage presence and confidence, character, voice and basic neutral mask work. We are hopeful to continue and develop this work - this might be the beginning of something big!
When we evaluated the course on the final session the following statements were made by inmates and staff:
“The course was brilliant. It has broken down barriers between us as inmates and helped us develop a trusting relationship with the staff participants”
“It made light of the situation we are in and helped us laugh at ourselves”
“It’s given me so much more self-confidence. I had only been in prison for a week when the course started, so this really helped me settle in and gave me a positive outlook”
“Before the course we didn’t really speak to each other – we have now become a group of close friends”
“I’ve noticed an improvement out on the wing – we talk more to staff members and feel more relaxed”
“No one dropped out – that speaks volumes”.
What next?
Rod Dixon is keen to develop this work and feels that Red Ladder, with our commitment to positive social change, is best placed to deliver a larger project with a wider scope. The aim would be to offer a project on two levels:
The Leeds Prison Theatre Company
Working in the prison with a discrete group of between 6 to 10 prisoners the company would continue detailed training in theatre skills for an extended period of time – 36 sessions over 18 weeks. In this time we would employ a writer to come in and work with the company to develop a play based on their stories. The play would be professionally produced by Red Ladder to high production standards and performed in the Chapel at HMP Leeds for other inmates and for visitors.
Red Grit Training Company
The Red Grit Training Company already exists and has been training local people from West Yorkshire since 2007. The aim would be to develop this project much further so that prisoners at the end of their sentence could enter a paid training course of six weeks, followed by four weeks rehearsal and then a four week tour of a new play. The tour would go into schools and colleges as well as Young Offenders’ Institutions.
The aim of this project outside the prison would be to prevent re-offending and to encourage ex-offenders to develop new skills and a new purpose to their lives. Employees would not only be trained as actors but also as back-stage crew and stage managers so that their skills would equip them for work in the theatre, television or film industries. Additionally Red Ladder would offer prisoners day placements at the Red Ladder offices. These would not need funding.
Big Society! Recording Weekend
The cast of Big Society! A Music Hall Comedy are now back from a long and exhausting weekend at a studio in Castleford recording the songs from the show.
The CD, featuring lead vocals from Phill Jupitus will be released to co-incide with the opening of the show in January, but in the mean time, here are a couple of teaser tracks and images from the recording weekend.
Big Society
Old School Tie