Performing in the Big House, Part II

I owe Diana a drink if we're ever in the same country at the same time, because Clive asked a follow up question about her prison story and she gave us another great post. Thanks, Diana!

The group was in the long-term section of the prison and many of the inmates seriously naughty boys. Large, imposing and very well muscled men with lots of tattoos.

Any of them betraying a love of G&S? ;-)>

Since you ask, yes. This was one of the more bizarre experiences. I was chatting with a group of prisoners one day and a chap known as H (a double axe murderer but also one of the sweetest men I have met if you can believe this) suddenly said "I'd love to see some Gilbert and Sullivan".

I wasn't involved with the G&S Society at the time but still had a number of friends who were on the committee and in the shows. So I knew that there was a double bill in rehearsal and rang the president and asked if he would consider taking Trial by Jury into the prison. He roared with laughter and said he would get back to me. The committee approved the idea and got 2 people who were my good friends to work with me on organising it.

By pure co-incidence one of the Governors is the father of one of the 2 who were working with me and the daughter was singing the Plaintiff - this helped get us the necessary permission. The 3 of us went in to talk to the drama group's representatives (they were known as the Mess Hall Players as they had been allowed to convert their dining room into a permanant theatre). We took some photos of the show in with us and they discussed how we should proceed.

The day came and we turned up to discover that they had built a court room set for us and talked about the lighting etc. The Mess Hall Players were around all morning as we set up and got ready and provided coffee on tap and some sandwiches and generally mingled, much to the surprise of some of our members - one young girl said to me that she likes a particular bloke and I was able to reply "that's Peter X who was the one who..." - a very high profile crime.

Anyway all the men in A and B divisions were allowed to attend and it was interesting to see them role up. Some obviously hadn't any idea of what they were in for and hated it but the majority seemed to enjoy the performance and were most appreciative afterwards.

Occasionally we list our places of performance and Trial in Pentridge gets a mention.