A prison guard faces a moral dilemma: an elderly inmate lies on the floor of his cell, clothes soiled from a nighttime accident. Union rules prohibit guards from providing physical assistance due to injury risks. The alternative means a two-hour wait for proper help. After checking that no one is watching, the guard makes his choice.
This scene from Lifers, a production by Synergy Theatre Project, encapsulates the organization's mission: to illuminate the complex human realities within the criminal justice system through live performance. The play addresses the dramatic increase in elderly prisoners—a population that nearly tripled from 5,000 to almost 15,000 between 2003 and 2023, according to the Prison Reform Trust. These inmates now represent one in six prisoners, with many facing the prospect of dying behind bars.
Esther Baker founded Synergy Theatre Project in 2000 after teaching drama in prisons during the 1990s. What began as a modest one-woman initiative has evolved into a leading arts charity with eight permanent staff members and funding from Arts Council England and the London Community Foundation.
"Prisoners are too often ignored—regarded merely as a number in a report, a statistic on a page," Baker explained. "There is something very powerful about live performance. It impacts hearts and minds and humanises the stories."
The organization operates on multiple fronts. Synergy produces approximately two major public performances annually, each involving ex-offenders in various capacities. The Lifers production included five former inmates serving as assistant stage managers, assistant directors, and cast members. These performances typically conclude with panel discussions featuring ex-prisoners and criminal justice experts, fostering dialogue about systemic issues.
Inside institutions such as Brixton, Thameside, and Downview women's prison in Surrey, Synergy stages productions performed primarily by and for prisoners. Separate showings accommodate prisoners' families, staff, and select members of the public who register through the charity's mailing list.
"It creates quite an atmosphere in prison when you do a show," Baker noted. "It brings people together, like a big family."
Beyond performances, Synergy provides theatre-based training programmes designed to build confidence and offer practical pathways into employment. The impact extends beyond rehabilitation—numerous participants have launched careers in theatre, film, and television.
Ric Renton exemplifies this transformation. After serving time at HMP Durham, where he learned basic literacy skills, Renton attended a Synergy playwriting course for ex-offenders. An assignment responding to a Pink Floyd exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum led to his first commission at Soho Theatre. His debut play, Nothing and a Butterfly, drew from his lived experience and secured him representation.
"Synergy is responsible for me being where I am today," Renton stated. His recent credits include writing and performing in Waiting For The Out, a six-part drama series for BBC One. "They had the contacts and pathways. They really helped in a practical sense. I've worked with them for eight years now, and seen so many examples of people they've helped, those who are usually ignored or thought badly of—they take the hopeless and give them hope."
Daniella Henry discovered Synergy while incarcerated at HMP Downview, participating in a production of The Gut Girls. Despite initial skepticism about the 1800s-era script written in period English, Henry found the experience transformative during her four-and-a-half-year sentence.
Upon her release in February of this year, Henry immediately joined a Synergy production of Providers, an award-winning play examining themes of family, economic struggle, and uncertain futures. The transition from prison proved overwhelming, but the production provided structure and purpose.
"For years, I'd only been around criminals. People think the worst of you," Henry reflected. "It's helped me find my purpose and if I hadn't had that, I don't know where I'd be now." Henry currently meets with casting directors and agents, pursuing additional acting opportunities.
The organization's youth programmes address particularly pressing concerns. With juvenile reoffending rates at 34.2 percent according to government figures, Synergy employs ex-prisoners as facilitators on youth projects. This approach helps dismantle barriers and establish trust with young people at risk of offending.
Baker emphasized the rehabilitative dimension of the work. "There's a lot of damage in prisons. Our work is about engagement, building confidence and creating pathways into the creative industries as well."
Looking ahead, Synergy Theatre Project plans to tour Lifers throughout the United Kingdom in 2026 and revive Providers in collaboration with Brixton House theatre in south London. These initiatives continue the organization's mission to challenge societal perceptions while providing tangible opportunities for individuals navigating life after incarceration.
The theatre model demonstrates that creative engagement can serve as a powerful catalyst for personal transformation and social reintegration, offering an alternative narrative to conventional approaches within the criminal justice system.