14th September 2010
The Educational Shakespeare Company has produced an adaptation of Macbeth -
the difference being that the cast is comprised of 25 inmates of HMP
Maghaberry. In recognition of the unusual surroundings, the play was
renamed Mickey B.
The film of the production, which premiered at the QFT as part of the Belfast Film Festival in April 2010, has now been released on DVD by The Educational Shakespeare Company, which worked with prisoners at Belfast's Maghaberry prison, This powerful adaptation of Shakespeare's play Macbeth could prove an important resource for use with young people.
In a review of the DVD on www.irr.org.uk, Liz Fekete writes:
"Prisoners (and the ones selected
for the production were deemed 'non-conforming', incapable of producing
anything worthwhile) found in the production of Mickey B a way of
exploring 'feelings around the violence that they had committed in the
past'.
"...And it is precisely this which makes Mickey B such a vital educational tool. ...perhaps most importantly, it should be used in youth centres, targeting young people at risk of involvement in gangs, crime and violence.(The fact that prisoners came together from across the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland also makes it a good tool for dealing with inter-communal gang violence.)"
Read more:
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.