Women, Theatre, Justice:

Hosted by Rachel Conlon, Director of Prison Partnership Project at York St John and HMP New Hall.

Five performances of Sweatbox were attended by forty-nine members of staff including prison officers, staff from education, senior management and staff from charities and voluntary organisations working with the women. In addition to seeing the performance, members of staff participated in group conversations immediately after, sharing their responses about the issues raised through the performance, informed by their experiences at work. This was the first time there was a theatre performance and training offered to staff inside the grounds of the prison and made possible because of Rachel’s long-running collaboration between HMP New Hall and the university, delivering weekly arts practice in the prison with students.