Broken Dreams

“If we don’t keep the noise down, people complain, you get shut down and then we’ll never get to drink your watered down piss for beer ever again.”

Wednesday night. Single dad Greg is in the pub with his mates: a lock-in. Beers and laughs. That’s all Greg’s after.

His son Calvin shadow boxes in their flat alone, forbidden by his father to compete in a local boxing match – it’s time to grow up and graft. Greg’s phone keeps ringing and somewhere nearby the night is about to be illuminated with flashing blue lights.

Broken Dreams follows a group of friends struggling with grief, guilt and the long-standing fight for justice from a housing system they believe has failed them.

“Angry doesn’t cover it man.
We need answers.”

Devised and performed by men from Her Majesty’s Prison Springhill in collaboration with Kestrel Theatre Company, Broken Dreams is their story, shaped and written with Simon Longman and directed by Holly Race Roughan. After a successful, packed-out performance last autumn at the Royal Court, Broken Dreams is back with a new cast from HMP Springhill released on license to perform for 7 shows.

Post-Show Talks
Fri 3 Aug | Free with a ticket to that afternoon’s performance
A panel discussion featuring Dr. Jamie Bennett, Governor of HMP Grendon & Springhill, Erwin James, Guardian columnist and Editor in Chief of Inside Time, the UK’s national newspaper for prisoners and detainees, and actress Jen Joseph. Royal Court Head of Participation Vishni Velada-Billson hosts.

Fri 10 Aug | Free with a ticket to that afternoon’s performance
Director Holly and writer Simon will be in conversation with Royal Court Young Agitators.

“I never thought I’d ever get to do anything so positive in prison, to make something good out of being in such a bad situation. Kestrel has improved a lot of lives – it has shown us that there are other ways.” – feedback from a member of the original cast from HMP Springhill.

Kestrel Theatre Company is a charity that takes professionals into prisons to work collaboratively alongside those in the criminal justice system to create original theatre and film. Broken Dreams is their second collaboration with the Royal Court following Blood and Water in 2016.