The prison guard shouldn’t help the old man who is lying on the floor of his cell – but he does. He shouldn’t help him change out of his clothes, which are wet because he had an accident in the night – but he does that too. But only after checking that no one is watching. Aiding a prisoner in this way is against union rules due to the risk of injury. The alternative? A two-hour wait for assistance.
This act of quiet compassion forms part of Lifers, a play by the Synergy Theatre Project that explores ageing and dignity behind bars. It’s a scene that lingers – raising questions about humanity, ethics and empathy within the prison system.
“We commissioned this play to raise public awareness about ageing in prisons,” says Esther Baker, the director of Lifers, who founded the theatre group in 2000 – working with prisoners, ex-prisoners and young offenders. “But it’s morally complex, it raises a lot of questions about human rights and ethics in prisons.”
