A Night at the Clink
****
HMP Cardiff, The Clink, Cardiff, Wed 18 Sep
It started with a bang – or rather, a bell – signalling that the first act of Papertrail’s collaboration with the Sherman Theatre, A Night at the Clink, was ready to be served, along with the starters of the evening’s three-course meal.
Created by The Clink restaurant’s own culinary team, the food offered in the evening’s dining experience was done so with a twist, as those serving the tapas-style menu also took on the personas of those serving time at HMP Cardiff, with the restaurant itself acting as the stage for the evening in between courses.
At first simply a unique-yet-original backdrop, The Clink provided an unexpected intimacy as the three central protagonists shared their regrets, weaknesses and concerns for their futures, delivered with such skilful vulnerability and conversational dexterity that the reactions of the audience were instead as though the stories had been shared one-to-one in the corner of a busy pub.
Front-of-house Justin (Oliver Wood), charming and composed, reflected on losing the woman he loved, whilst awaiting the outcome of a job interview at a coffee shop, highlighting the complexity of readjusting to life outside of prison. At twenty, Ricky (Aled ap Steffan) shared his experiences of bullying from older prisoners and grief, whilst touching on toxic masculinity and fitting in with perceptions and stereotypes of male prisoners. Chef Marky (Siôn Pritchard) discussed the difficulties of being a father whilst in prison, the breakdown of his relationship and hinted at learning to control his temper.
The stories shared addressed a range of pressing and typically unheard narratives, inspired by those who are in the last phases of their sentences and training as chefs and waiters in the process. Papertrail are renowned for their innovative theatre experiences and aim to portray the lives of those at the heart of the community they choose to depict; evidently, this was achieved through the evening being embedded in its local surroundings. Ricky alternated speaking in both English and Welsh, Justin made jibes at his home Bridgend, and in another subtle method of depicting the individuals rather than the masses, Marky performed with ‘CCFC’ tattooed on his knuckles and his daughter’s name on his arm.
In a relatively small environment with only thirty members in the audience due to the restaurant’s size, hearing from an equally small cast further allowed for the individuality of the characters to shine through and for the audience to be able to relate to aspects of their lives and experiences; this is also achieved in The Clink’s culinary training programme. The restaurant has in recent years become increasingly popular, and the three-course meat and vegan menus served during the play are proof that the restaurant is worthy of its accolades and reputation.
An evocative and thought-provoking piece, A Night at the Clink provided an insight into life inside, and the people behind the sentences (and food) they are serving.
words Chloe Edwards
A Night at the Clink plays until Wed 25 Sep at HMP Cardiff. Tickets: sold out (check for returns). Info: www.shermantheatre.co.uk