Prison Theatre and the Global Crisis of Incarceration

Obscured behind concrete and razor wire, the lives of the incarcerated remain hidden from public view, despite the many journalistic and cinematic portrayals which try to imagine or rationalize a nation's practices of imprisonment. Inside the walls, prisoners stage their own theatrical productions, articulating their identities and experiences for audiences carefully monitored by gatekeepers. Prison Theatre examines performances within prisons across the globe, offering a uniquely international account and exploration of prison theatre. By discussing a range of performance practices tied to incarceration, this book looks at the ways in which arts practitioners and imprisoned people use theatre as a means to build communities, attain professional skills, address public health crises, and maintain hope.
Distinct examples of theatre performed in prisons are explored throughout the main text and also in a section of Critical Perspectives by international scholars and practitioners exploring and considering the rationale and the impact on audiences and actors. A section of additional resources, including bibliographies, lists of organisations facilitating prison theatre workshops and of online resources, make this volume a terrific resource for students, facilitators and teachers of prison theatre.