BESIDE ME was a six‑month theatre project at HMP Perth that brought fathers in prison and their families together through a shared creative process. Led by Associate Director Jess Thorpe with artists Lewis Fraser and Amanda Lowson, the project involved weekly devising and drama sessions with Dads and kids leading to a production they performed together.

The project was ground-breaking in its design process; working with designer Rachel O’ Neill to use trauma-informed thinking to transform a construction shed in the prison to a venue where families could be together in the frame of a gathering. A chance to sit, eat and dance together - sometimes for the first time.

An independent evaluation by Dr Matt Maycock found that the artistic work — making, rehearsing and performing — offered families a meaningful way to connect, communicate and spend time together beyond the limitations of a standard prison visit. Participants, families and partners all highlighted the value of working side by side on a creative task, and the project’s ability to create space for genuine collaboration within a highly restricted environment.

This project has been taken forward by theatre company Glass Performance and new version of the project will be produced in another Scottish prison in April 2027.