Clean Break (theatre company)

Clean Break is a feminist theatre company[1][2] started in 1979 by Jenny Hicks and Jackie Holborough, whilst inmates of HMP Askham Grange.[3] They expanded the prison's annual Christmas show into Efemera, a two-hour show about prison life. It was later performed for a two-night run at York Arts Centre, which made its 21 castmembers the first British prisoners to perform onstage outside of a prison.[4] Upon their release Hicks and Holborough formed the theatre company, Clean Break in order to tell the hidden stories of women in prison.

The company also organises residencies in women's prisons in the UK, using directors, playwrights and actors to work with inmates to create their own work. In 1998 the company moved from its base in Camden to a refurbished building in Kentish Town.[5][6]

The playwright Lucy Kirkwood, is writer in residence at Clean Break.[7] Productions include Sam Holcroft's Dancing Bears at the Soho Theatre,[8] Little on the inside by Alice Birch at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014[9] and Pests by Vivienne Franzmann (a co-production with Royal Court Theatre & Royal Exchange Theatre 2014. [BLANK], a new play by Alice Birch, will premiere at the Donmar Warehouse in October 2019.[10] In 2019 Inside Bitch was performed at Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre.[11]

Clean Break trustee Alice Millest was named Young Board Member of the Year at the 2014 Arts & Business Awards.[12]

Clean Break were shortlisted for the Guardian Charity of the Year Awards in 2014[13] and received a Highly Commended Award from the Longford Trust.[14]

References
  1. Joseph, Naomi (2015). "Working with women: Clean Break | ArtsProfessional". artsprofessional.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  2. "Clean Break | Arts Council". artscouncil.org.uk. 2015. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  3. Gardner, Lyn (2015). "Clean Break and the invisible women | Stage | The Guardian". theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  4. Trueman, Matt (2019-02-26). "'A world to escape into': how theatre gives prisoners a way out". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  5. Perman, Lucy (2015). "Restorative theatre: working inside out with prisons and offenders | Culture professionals network | The Guardian". theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  6. "Charity Awards 2014 - shortlist | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian". theguardian.com. 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  7. "Lucy Kirkwood | Playscripts, Inc". playscripts.com. 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  8. Bowie-Sell, Daisy. "Charged, Clean Break, Soho Theatre, review - Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London: TMG. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  9. http://everything-theatre.co.uk/2013/08/little-on-inside-almeida-theatre.html
  10. "Production – Donmar Warehouse". www.donmarwarehouse.com. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  11. Billington, Rachel (2019). "Bitching drama – insidetime & insideinformation". Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  12. Millest, Alice (2015). "Alice Millest & Clean Break | Arts & Business". artsandbusiness.bitc.org.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  13. "Charity Awards 2014 - shortlist | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian". theguardian.com. 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  14. "Longford Trust - Longford Prize Winner: Prisoners' Advice Service (PAS)". longfordtrust.org. 2015. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
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