PLAN B: IN A NUTSHELL

Plan B is a theatre and mentoring project for men who have spent time in prison. The project is inspired by a vision which brings together community development and theatre-making processes to create opportunities for personal development and social change. Besides creating theatre, Plan B aims to train interested participants in the tasks associated with the project for eventual handover over time. This aim forms part of a broader project vision to create real opportunities for men on release from prison to explore their potential and connect in with the community on the outside.

The transition from prison to the broader community is an often daunting and risky proposition. The community inside the prison – a community of belonging and acceptance for many – is left behind on release. Isolation is a common experience. Without the capacity to form good connections on the outside, the firm grip of ‘the lacker band’ will continue to drag people back into the system

PROJECT VISION

Plan B is a 3-year pilot project which began its first year of implementation in 2004. Plan B explores and addresses issues of social disadvantage by bringing the ‘hidden’ experiences of men who have lived inside the prison system into the public eye.

Personal Development

The Plan B Project provides a space of acceptance and belonging for men who are trying to integrate into the community after release without adequate social supports. The Plan B Project creates opportunities for men on release to make connections with others, and to develop personal capacity through commitment to each other and to the creative process.

Social Change

Life on the outside for men with long histories of incarceration tends to be characterized by loneliness and cultural deprivation. Although it is true that there have been changes to the prison system over time, the notion of the creature in the dungeon is still deeply imprinted on the collective psyche. There are countless examples of public fascination with the hidden world behind the wall. Releasing the prisoner is still, however, a social obligation met with some ambivalence.

Including ex-prisoners in social debates about matters that directly affect them helps to raise public awareness about their unique perspectives inside and outside the prison system, and challenge rigid, stereotypical responses to the issues. Plan B provides opportunities for men who have done time to contribute to debates about crime and punishment through media interviews, conference presentations, and project evaluation. Each year, one or more of Plan B’s performances will be used as a catalyst for discussion amongst audience members. These public discussions form part of Plan B’s broader vision to encourage people to get curious about the broader social implications of imprisonment and to struggle with the complexity of the issues that divide our community in the interests of achieving greater social wholeness. Plan B’s public forums hope to inspire people to wonder about: Who ends up in our prison system? Why do they end up there? Is imprisonment of benefit to the prisoner or to the community? Can we improve prison culture? Are there better alternatives to imprisonment?

2004

Performance: ‘til hell freezes

In November 2004, Plan B performed its first show, ‘til hell freezes, to enthusiastic audiences at Melbourne’s Horti Hall. ‘til hell freezes was written and directed by Plan B’s director, Sharon Jacobson, in collaboration with participants and prison inmates and performed by the men themselves.

The Process

Stories about the experience of prison and release were gathered from men on both the inside and outside over a three-month period and then placed in a loose running order of scenes which included a brief overview of character and storyline. The scene briefs were used to direct some of the improvisations, and each scene was notated to ensure authenticity of dialogue and action. The notations were then used to write up the scenes, and the written scenes were rehearsed the following week for confirmation with participants.
If you would like to know more about the set-up and implementation of the project in 2004, please download our quarterly progress reports from the ‘project updates’ page.

2005

Performance: The Big West Festival

In 2005, participants will work with professional Melbourne artists to develop a site-specific theatre piece which will be performed at Melbourne’s Big West Festival in November 2005. The Big West Festival is an innovative biennial arts festival based in Melbourne’s western suburbs (watch this site for updates).

Mentoring

This year, Plan B will focus on consolidating the vision of the project by offering on-project training for participants. Participants will be mentored to develop a range of skills in the arts and/or project management, according to their interests. The training focus accords with the broader aim of the project to hand the project on to participants to run themselves. It also helps to build personal capacity and provide concrete opportunities through participation in the project for skills development and eventual integration into the community.

Prison Workshops

Plan B will continue its work inside the prison system by offering creative workshops culminating in a short theatre piece to be performed for inmates and staff. Workshops will be run in at least 3 prisons in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

QUOTES FROM PARTICIPANTS

“ Plan B has been a bridge into the community for me. It’s a new beginning.”

“ I didn’t think I’d have the ability to act – I’ve never done it in my life. I’ve become more confident in myself.”

“ When I first came, I wondered whether I could trust the other blokes. I’m surprised we all get on so well.”

“ Since I joined the project I’ve had more connections. Otherwise I’d be sitting at home watching the four walls.

“… .without such a place [as Plan B] to go to, it would have been very easy to fall back into a life of crime.”

“… to be able to get up and portray what I once was is a bit of fun now and not a way of life, I can look back at what I was before and say never again, and mean it all because of this group of people that I have become a part of and look more to like an extended family than anything else.”

PLAN B PROJECT MODEL

An Advisory Committee

The advisory committee is made up of magistrates, lawyers, academics, artists and ex-prisoners. The committee provides collective expertise to help guide the process by giving strategic advice, responding to progress reports, and advocating on behalf of the working team.

A Partnership Approach

Partners include community and Government organisations and individuals who work with men on release from prison, in the broader justice field, and in the arts. Plan B is interested in building relationships of mutual benefit that recognise and assemble the expertise and resources of both parties as part of its emphasis on creative collaboration.

Prison Workshops

Prison workshops are important in the following ways:

• they raise the profile of the project inside the prison system
• they build trust and rapport between prisoners and Plan B workers
• they act as a connector between the inside and the outside

Conferences

Plan B will be speaking about the project and performing excerpts from its show, 'til hell freezes, at the opening of Deakin University's Integration Puzzle conference in Melbourne on February 21st.