I had been in Polmont on remand for around a year n a bit before I started taking an interest into the performing arts. My remand started a couple weeks after first national lockdown imposed by government to prevent spread of Covid-19. It was a harsh reality to get chucked into as a young teenager being locked up 95% of the time. When the restrictions started to relax about prison movement/activities of course I jumped on any activities possible to get out of the section for a few hours. That’s when I stumbled into meeting Glass Performance.
Like I said at first it was a time wasting activity. An opportunity to see other mates from different parts of the jail. We would be embarrassed to be honest at first - as young guys going to do a bit of ‘drama’ haha. It wasn’t till after doing my first “pantomine’’ that I actually thought it was a bit of alright in terms of the joy we all felt once it was finished neverminding it only having 2 audience members for our ‘12 panto’s in 30 minutes’ (or something). I’m sure it was carnage to say the least but it felt a lot more christmasy that year.
Once the next term started after Christmas break of course I went back I ended up being a part of Polmont Youth Theatre for the remainder of my time in Polmont until I transferred years later. Never did I think of the impact and connections it would have brought into my life. I became more open publicly and turned a bit of cockiness into confidence. It had a massive impact on how I viewed others as a collective. Never before jail would I of seen myself in wigs and girly dresses performing in front of people but the drama community have an impressive and enjoyable way of helping you enjoy it and after a couple shows even maybe embracing it - haha.
Performing arts as a whole in jail was a proud time of my life. I’m not shamed to share about it and it improved me as a person. There were also noticeable changes in peers that I still keep contact with today. The community as a whole embraced every one of us and unlocked opportunities that were out of our reach before, performing in front of surprisingly big crowds. I also performed in an actual theatre setting in Dundee ‘’Dundee Rep’’ a theatre which Glass Performance helped secure a work placement for me there when I moved to the open estate. I even completing a speech at the youth drama convention that was held there that year, which also gave an opportunity for true empathy in a safe space when life was hard for us prisoners.
Performing arts and Glass Performance have only improved my life and opportunities for different experiences even when life felt at its most challenging.