Rare Birds, by the poet Natalie Scott, who was awarded a PhD in English from Sunderland in 2015, is a collection of dramatic monologues which creatively re-imagines the story of Holloway Prison’s first one hundred years through the voices of prisoners, staff and others connected to its history, to explore some of the injustices of the penal system during this period.
The poems voice women in roles other than that of criminal: there are social campaigners, comrades, as well as sisters, daughters, mothers, wives, lovers and companions. Although it has a historical context, the collection explores many of the themes which are still relevant today: human rights, equality, gender, identity, mental illness, social class.
Natalie received Arts Council funding to bring her work to the stage, and in May 2019 an ensemble of West End actors performed her piece in a workshop production at The Soho Theatre, supported by original music and songs from award-winning British musical theatre composers, and devised and directed by Simon Greiff.
You can find out more about Natalie's work at her website.
