Maghaberry Gets Justice For Macbeth

Life prisoners in NI's high security prison, HMP Maghaberry, have won a national award for their film Mickey B, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Produced by the Educational Shakespeare Company (ESC), Mickey B has won the Roger Graef award for Outstanding Achievement in Film at the national Arthur Koestler awards. The award was received in London by Director Tom Magill and ex long-term prisoner, Sam McClean who played Duncan.

The ground-breaking film sees Macbeth and Lady Macbeth transformed to the ambitious top-dog Mickey B and his scheming 'bitch' Ladyboy. It is the first feature film made in a maximum-security prison featuring prisoners as cast and crew. Prisoners were involved at every level from writing, staging, and acting to the production of the film. It caught the eye of judges for the quality of the acting and the power of the adaptation.

Mickey B has garnered international critical acclaim from the likes of Augusto Boal, Nobel Prize Nominee 2008, who said of the film, "You have helped prisoners be better citizens, transforming themselves and society around them."

Praise for the production is echoed by directors such as Stephen Rea, Kenneth Branagh and Ken Loach who said Mickey B is "A strong and imaginatively conceived film, the actors are remarkable and the Northern Ireland voices are very powerful."

Mickey B along with ESC aims to bring an informed alternative to the common public's view of life prisoners; 'lock them up and throw away the key'. The film's makers and supporters are aware of the often life-changing impact that working on the project has had on its participants.

Educational qualifications were granted to the prisoners for their engagement in the project. For many, this is their first ever qualification. Director Tom Magill says:

"All of the men in this prison are one day going to get out and that's what members of the public should realise. The best thing that we can do is to equip them for that job."

Monica McWilliams, Chief Human Rights Commissioner for NI was there during the filming of Mickey B. She argues strongly for the use of arts within a prison setting:

"Some people may tell you you're good for nothing and then you stand up on stage and see how powerful and how good you are – that has to be worth something."

Robin Masefield, the Director General of the NI Prison Service is aware of the impact this film has made. He says:

"Prison Arts is a valuable part of the Resettlement Process and working on this film has helped those involved to gain new skills, to learn to work as a team and look at the world in an entirely new way.

"It is important to balance the sensitivities surrounding such a project, including potentially victims' issues, with the efforts being made to ensure that inmates leave prison as balanced individuals equipped to make a positive contribution to society."

The Koestler Awards honour 'Arts by Offenders' and this year had a record breaking 5130 entries. Mickey B won the top accolade, the outstanding category, one of only 6 films chosen from across the UK.

Sam McClean, who played Duncan in Mickey B at the Koestler awards.

(L-R) Sam McClean (Duncan), Tom Magill (Director), Simon Wood (Co-producer).