Shakespeare Behind Bars [NOVEMBER 2008]

This raw film follows a production of Shakespeare's The Tempest by convicted felons inside Kentucky's Luther Luckett Correctional Complex. Watching these remarkably unique actors prepare for their performance smashes many of our long held notions about prisoners and criminals. These inmates are men who are stuck in time, constantly replaying the text and gestures of their own crimes, left to wonder what would have changed their fates. They cast themselves according to their lives, in relation to the crimes for which they were convicted, and many of the men experience powerful epiphanies while exploring their characters. Twice a week, the inmates work with volunteer director Curt Tofteland, who pushes them to find their own truth within their roles within a play that is fittingly about forgiveness.

Critical Consensus