In April 2022 we ran a project called YOUNGERS, kindly hosted at NDT Broadgate. The project was a week of research and development for a new professional strand of Kestrel’s work, workshopping ideas for a new play across the week and working towards a sharing on the Friday afternoon.

The piece aimed to work with three younger men between 18-22 either with experience of the CJS or at risk of entering it, and three older Kestrel alumni who had been through the system and were on the other side. Each cast member was employed as a professional actor, paid at Equity rates. As a group we explored and unpacked ideas around heroes, mentorship, age and the possibilities for conflict and connection between older and younger men with experience of the criminal justice system.

The sharing was hugely well received to an invited audience of industry professionals and family & friends on Friday afternoon. We are excited to continue develop the work across the coming year in collaboration with playwright Simon Longman.