Milan Prison Play

Selection of dramatic images from the production in Opera prison, Milan

Building on the success of previous Prison Passion plays produced in Angola, Louisiana and Belo Horizonte, Brazil we once again worked with The Dundas Foundation to produce The Life of Jesus play inside Opera prison, Milan. We were also helped by Ivana Trettel from Opera Liquida, the theatre company working with the prison and Europassione Per L’Italia who liaised with the prison and provided costumes.

Italian prisons really understand the value of Theatre and almost all prisons have some connection to at least one Theatre Company working with them. Opera prison is Italy’s largest prison housing some 1500 men with short and long term sentences as well as a high security prisoners. One third of the cast we were working with came from Eastern Europe, men who had immigrated to find a better life and ended up in prison.

We also worked with another prison in Milan – Bollate which is a mixed smaller prison – they actually have theatre in their prison and so were really open to the project. We had a selection of 10 women from there and from workshop auditions, chose 6. Again, a mix of Italian and Eastern European and a mix of sentences and abilities.

The end production was very well received and the cast were all amazing in how they worked together to create something out of nothing – we had no money for set or sound/lights but the cast really pulled together and found things to make a set out of. They worked very hard to ensure they did the very best they could. Seeing them work together was very moving and seeing them enjoy the applause from the audiences was very special especially seeing them perform for their families.

Suzanne was accompanied on this trip by George Fanzio, a young Italian actor who is fluent in English and a Director in training. George has now been working overseas with refugees and continues to make a difference through theatre.