What do we do?

We run projects creating original pieces of theatre, film or performance with people with experience of the criminal justice system. We do this in prisons and on the outside too. Supporting our alumni with creative employment opportunities after they are released is a crucial part of our mission.

Most of our work is in the mediums of theatre and film, and sometimes we do specific projects in poetry, playwriting and puppetry too. We often make work geared towards supporting men to connect with their families.

All our work is delivered by industry professionals and we aim for every project to end in a sharing, screening or performance.

These projects are divided into four core strands, as seen on the right.

In all cases, the men taking part in the project collaborate in the creative process of ‘making’ as well as performing in the final piece. Their voices are always at the heart of what is made.

  • These projects operate in ten or twenty week blocks of weekly workshops. A Foundations project could focus on a range of different art forms, including acting, playwriting or spoken word. Our most regular Foundations project is Drama Club, focused on acting and improvisation.

    The core aim of a Foundations project is to build confidence and community. More than anything, we hope to provide a safe, creative space away from the day-to-day to have fun and try something new.

  • IGNITE is a project where a group works over 5 intensive days to create a piece together that will be shared on the final day.

    Examples of this are The Best Thing that Never Happened at HMP Five Wells and Youngers at NDT Broadgate.

  • Magnify is our largest-scale project.

    This typically takes the form of a four or five week full-time rehearsal process working towards a high quality performance.

    Ideally this performance would be as public-facing as possible. The Kestrel team would likely include two directors, a playwright, a producer, designer and sometimes a sound designer.

    Examples of this include Broken Dreams 2 at the Royal Court, Rio’s Extraordinary Christmas or the 360 Degree Man.

  • Bespoke projects are anything that doesn’t fit into one of the other three categories.

    This could take the form of a one-off workshop, a masterclass, short film, a research and development project, or anything else.

    We are always open to suggestions of new bespoke projects from our collaborators.

    Examples of this include a one off workshop on storytelling in HMP Swaleside.

Kestrel alumni, staff, and Jitney director Tinuke Craig sit on the Old Vic stage.

Kestrel alumni, staff and ‘Jitney’ director Tinuke Craig at Voices Off: Life After Time at the Old Vic Theatre, June 2022

Questions about a project? Would you like us to come to your prison? Anything else?

Read testimonials from those who have taken part in our projects here.

There is extraordinary talent everywhere. Prison is no different. Our job is simply to provide a supportive platform to unlock, showcase or develop that talent.