Second Stage recently completed a three-day partnership with Regeneration Theatre at HMP Hollesley, where 14 men worked with practitioners on the text and themes of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The project was extremely well received by both the participants and those who attended the final performance.

Two Second Stage candidates were then chosen to run the lighting and sound while Mark Lockyer performed excerpts from his one-man Hamlet for invited guests at the launch of the Bay Arts Academy at the prison. The Academy was made possible through equipment donations from CEG and Autograph, enabling Second Stage to deliver ongoing technical training at the venue. A last-minute donation also funded the delivery of stage truss and harnesses. We are hugely grateful to the prison’s education and skills teams, and to everyone who helped make this possible.

Following hot on the heels of that was our Mad About Shakespeare fundraising event in Aldeburgh. Alongside Mark’s powerful one-man performance of Hamlet, two men on temporary release worked backstage to help deliver the production. The evening concluded with a Q&A featuring Mark and his retired forensic psychologist, chaired by Second Stage Chief Executive Jo Hutchison. The rest of the weekend went down very well with Colin Hurley giving his Lear’s Shadow and authors Sir Jonathan Bate and Dame Harriet Walter answering audiences questions, concluding with Stefan Bednarczyk sending us off with a song (and a Bloody Mary thanks to Big Tom sponsorship!) taking nearly £30k in ticket sales and donations.

Big thanks to all the volunteers, ticket-buyers, supporters and artists who gave their time to support Second Stage over this last amazing week.

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