Shakespeare Behind Bars
Thursday I traveled more than 12 hours to Louisville KY and back to go to prison. The purpose was to see a rendition of Julius Caesar done by the inmates at the correctional complex. The program, entitled Shakespeare Behind Bars, is a drama-in-education approach that offers the opportunity for ‘safe’ encounters with complex issues, helping to contribute to the inmates' successful reintegration into society. This trip was organized by my Shakespeare professor from last semester.
The performance room was not very large, but chairs were organized into a rectangle, corners empty as pathways, with the stage in the middle. As we entered the room the inmates smiled, greeted us, and handed us programs. Two guards sat relaxed against a wall but no other 'protection' was in place. While each inmate's reason for being incarcerated is unique, some were doing hard time for crimes such as murder. However, it was a completely relaxed atmosphere, and there was never a point that one would feel threatened. In fact, all of the inmates were startlingly friendly. If not for the circumstances of the performance in the prison, they could easily pull off as a normal group of brothers, fathers and friends.
Most of the actors did a very good job, some of them have been part of the program for many years. Since the stage was right in front of us the play was very close up and we could really see their faces. For swords and daggers they used mini-kendo swords which made me smile. But I have to say the performance was not the most powerful event that evening.
The director who runs the program (NOT an inmate himself) is retiring after running this program the entire 13 years it has been in existence. Thursday happened to be the last performance that the inmates were doing this year, and so at the end there were many fine words to say goodbye. One inmate admitted he had joined in the group because he wanted the opportunity to pretend to be someone else, only to find out that instead he was forced to confront himself. The director had only told them to tell the truth, and to do that one must examine his own actions. There were many beautiful things that were said and it was obvious that they all came from the heart. The inmates were moved to tears through their own words. I have to say it was one of the first times that I truly believed in the rehabilitation of people who had done serious crimes. This doubt in reformation is also a problem the inmates are faced with as they become defined by their action: thief, murderer, ect. They first must confront themselves and forgive themselves in order move forward with a new beginning. Shakespeare, in fact, gives this opportunity of self examination through characters that have committed the same offenses.
It was a wonderful experience, and worth driving more than 12 hours and getting back at 4 in the morning.
The performance room was not very large, but chairs were organized into a rectangle, corners empty as pathways, with the stage in the middle. As we entered the room the inmates smiled, greeted us, and handed us programs. Two guards sat relaxed against a wall but no other 'protection' was in place. While each inmate's reason for being incarcerated is unique, some were doing hard time for crimes such as murder. However, it was a completely relaxed atmosphere, and there was never a point that one would feel threatened. In fact, all of the inmates were startlingly friendly. If not for the circumstances of the performance in the prison, they could easily pull off as a normal group of brothers, fathers and friends.
Most of the actors did a very good job, some of them have been part of the program for many years. Since the stage was right in front of us the play was very close up and we could really see their faces. For swords and daggers they used mini-kendo swords which made me smile. But I have to say the performance was not the most powerful event that evening.
The director who runs the program (NOT an inmate himself) is retiring after running this program the entire 13 years it has been in existence. Thursday happened to be the last performance that the inmates were doing this year, and so at the end there were many fine words to say goodbye. One inmate admitted he had joined in the group because he wanted the opportunity to pretend to be someone else, only to find out that instead he was forced to confront himself. The director had only told them to tell the truth, and to do that one must examine his own actions. There were many beautiful things that were said and it was obvious that they all came from the heart. The inmates were moved to tears through their own words. I have to say it was one of the first times that I truly believed in the rehabilitation of people who had done serious crimes. This doubt in reformation is also a problem the inmates are faced with as they become defined by their action: thief, murderer, ect. They first must confront themselves and forgive themselves in order move forward with a new beginning. Shakespeare, in fact, gives this opportunity of self examination through characters that have committed the same offenses.
It was a wonderful experience, and worth driving more than 12 hours and getting back at 4 in the morning.