Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
Failing systems, budget cuts and privatisation of rapidly deteriorating prisons …
‘The Stretch’
6th – 15th March
53two, Manchester
Written by Joe Ainsworth
Directed by Simon Naylor
Following success in JB Shorts 19 this extended piece is set to launch in the arches in March. Follow Lee in this powerful and poignant piece as he finds his way through a ten year stretch inside, after just one terrible mistake. Experience the highs, and definitely the lows and witness just how it affects him and those nearest to him. A play that discusses an all too current issue and the support given to those incarcerated and those trying to rehabilitate and reinstate themselves into society.
MAP Productions are delighted to be bringing this piece back to the stage following rave reviews from the critically acclaimed JB Shorts Festival. Written with support from the pastoral team at HMP Forest Bank and based on true experiences, this extended version is set to be even more powerful than the first outing almost a year ago. TV writer Joe Ainsworth ‘The Stretch’ will continue to raise the bar for fringe theatre in Manchester and draw in a new and more diverse audience. A sensory journey using spoken word, movement & music to spark discussion about a subject all too present in the media; how one decision can change lives. The piece also looks at how people in this situation deal with the decision and its consequences in what some would consider a failing prison system.
‘The first time I directed this piece, in its shorter format, I knew Joe had written something special. James, our lead actor felt the same and this combined passion to discuss the problems that prisons and their inmates face, as well as highlighting to a younger audience that decisions last beyond the instant they are made in, was all we needed to move the piece forward. It’s an incredibly important piece of writing and now with ACE Funding, we get to really let fly.’
Simon Naylor – Director
MAP Productions
Alongside the production, MAP and the team will look to engage with companies such as Clinks, the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance and Young Identity to run workshops with their members and have them perform alongside Manchester poet Argh Kid on a fundraiser night on Sunday 10th March. All proceeds going towards charities that support the rehabilitation of those convicted and/or offer support inside prisons.
Performances
53two, 8 Albion St, Manchester
6th – 15th March
7:30pm
£10 (£2 Unwaged tickets)
(No show Sunday 10th – Fundraiser Night)