Welsh theatre company Papertrail have partnered up with the Sherman Theatre to produce a rare piece of theatre at The Clink, the restaurant situated in Her Majesty’s Prison Cardiff. Papertrail’s self-styled remit is to provide audiences with new experiences that help to open up their understanding of places; as such, this collaboration with the Sherman is set to be intriguing.
The play, A Night In The Clink, will tell stories about the prisoners who work in the eponymous restaurant, and The Clink’s culinary team will dish up a tapas-style menu, all included in the price. Written by Papertrail artistic director, Bridget Keehan, along with Welsh writers Matthew Bulgo, Branwen Davies and Tracy Harris, actors Aled Ap Steffan, Oliver Wood and Sion Pritchard will be serving the food as well as performing in the 70-minute play.
Speaking to Buzz, Keehan says, “All the people in prison, and those who are just about to leave prison are incredibly generous in terms of their willingness to open up and share their experiences. There is a whole range of different experiences, including their anxieties about being released as well as their dreams and wishes.
“There’s one ex-Clink graduate that’s been working really closely with us on this production and their responses have been a shaping influence on the play as we have developed it. They have helped us evolve the production and really been the first audience for the material.
“We would certainly love to do the play again if it were successful. My sort of dream, if you like, would be to have more of those people who have been involved in the process – in the sense that they’ve shared their stories – to continue to be involved in the company.”
Papertrail are well known for creating unthought-of theatrical pieces. Their last production, Day To Go, involved audiences taking a bus journey through Barry while hearing stories about the town. This one is set to be equally unique.
TALLULAH SULEMAN
The Clink, HMP Cardiff, Sun 15-Wed 25 Sept. Tickets: £25 (£20 Sun 15 + Mon 16). Info: 029 2064 6900 www.shermantheatre.co.uk