Chiltern Railways recently supported a unique project, which saw men from an open prison given special permission to perform in a play for two weeks at The Royal Court Theatre in London.
The original drama ‘Broken Dreams’ was written by men from HMP Spinghill, alongside renowned playwright Simon Longman and directed by Holly Race Roughan.
The train company got involved in the project after being approached by the Kestrel Theatre Company to support with travel arrangements for the actors performing. The theatre company, which is based in Oxford, takes active arts professionals into prisons to facilitate work on original pieces of drama to give the men a sense of empowerment and help to increase their self-esteem.
Arabella Warner, Artistic Director of Kestrel Theatre Company, said: “We were pleased when Chiltern Railways offered to help with this project, as it made such a difference to the men and made the experience even more special. Theatre has a power to transform lives and open people to new possibilities. I was also delighted by the response from the packed theatre with many people being moved by the bravery of the men for taking part.”
Eleni Jordan, Commercial Director of Chiltern Railways, said: “We were pleased to help the Kestrel Theatre Company by supporting actors travelling to perform in Broken Dreams. Projects like this offer long-term benefits and it’s good to hear it was a success and that our support made a positive difference.”
For more information about the Kestrel Theatre Company, visit: http://kestreltheatrecompany.co.uk/
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