The first Geese Theatre Company rehearsal took place on 10th June 1987. 35 years on, we are still going strong. In that time the company has worked with thousands of people in the Criminal Justice System, in virtually every prison in the UK and developed innovative projects internationally in Australia, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands and Bulgaria. Over the years we have employed well over 60 practitioners and administrative staff to deliver and support this work. Every one of them has brought something unique to this work, advancing our practice and helping us refine and develop our methodology.
This work wouldn’t be possible without the support of the commissioners, probation officers, prison governors and staff from the many organisations we partner with, who see the possibilities that theatre and the arts can bring to their institutions, their services, and the people they work with. We would like to thank all those who have taken the risk of using theatre in their settings.
Using theatre in criminal justice settings can be demanding, but ultimately it is about the power of creating safe spaces in which people can encounter people: where people can be challenged, supported, pushed, find common ground, and explore differences; where people can explore their creativity on their own terms; where we are all able to rehearse different versions of ourselves without fear of failure. So, of course, we would like to thank all of the men and women who have stepped into the space with us and trusted us to make it safe, be that as audience member, participant or co-creator.
We look forward to the next 35 years and the possibility of new partnerships, new projects and performances and many new encounters.
