Theatre group Company of Sirens has called on prisoners and young offenders to inform their new play that focuses on the “national emergency” of knife crime.
The Creature takes Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as inspiration to delve into the origins of knife crime and anti-social behaviour and has used the experiences and prisoners to shape its narrative.
Through development work in prisons and secure units in central and south Wales, the theatre group used the practical sessions as well as discussions to build up an understanding of the motivations behind knife crime.
One of the inmates who assisted with the project said: “Carrying a knife often started as a way to avoid becoming a victim.
“Most of the people I spoke to who had carried a knife had been threatened, some on multiple occasions. Some had been attacked and a few had been severely injured.”
The Creature will be on show at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff from October 1-10, with a performance offering sign language on October 4.