Newcastle's Open Clasp helps transform women's lives

Cheryl Byron, a former inmate of HMP Low Newton, credits a Newcastle theatre company for helping her through her time in prison. While serving a two-year sentence for drugs offences in 2013, she found support from Open Clasp. This company focuses on creating theatre with women who are often left out of mainstream performances. Byron felt isolated and scared before joining the group, locking herself in her cell and avoiding contact with others. "This company came into jail and turned, not just my life around, but hundreds of other people's," she said. The group recently received four years of funding from Comic Relief to continue its work. Byron's daughter, Abigail, appreciated the comfort that Open Clasp brought while her mother was incarcerated. "To know that she had something in there that was taking her mind somewhere, and she wasn't just sitting," she noted. After her release, Byron struggled with her relationship with her daughter. They ultimately collaborated on a play titled "Don't Forget the Birds," which highlighted their experiences during the time they spent apart. "We toured it all over the country," said Byron, describing the experience as fantastic. Open Clasp's latest performance, titled "Rupture," was a one-woman show created with women from the same prison and recently showcased at Durham's Gala Theatre. Artistic director Catrina McHugh believes that women's voices in prison matter and should be heard. She emphasizes the transformative power of theatre. "When we say changing the world one play at a time, we really mean it," she stated.