How much should we care about prisoners, particularly those serving sentences for serious crimes? And how much care should they receive?
This is the overarching theme of Lifers at the Southwark Playhouse, a prison-set drama that follows the story of Lenny (Peter Wight), a prisoner in his 70s serving a life sentence.
He uses a walking frame (which took a lot of form-filling and months to get), struggles to dress, and forgets where he is and who people are.
Mark (James Backway) is a young prison officer who bends the rules to help Lenny. Would he show such care if he knew what he’d done to end up in prison, what any of the prisoners had done?
Sonya (Mona Goodwin) is the prison doctor and Mark’s friend. She’s focused on her job, but has worked in the prison setting for a lot longer and has established firm boundaries of care.
While predominantly a drama, Lifers is also laced with humour. Light relief comes in the form of Lenny’s fellow inmates Norton (Sam Cox) and Baxter (Ricky Fearon).
The three play cards together, moaning about the younger prisoners and prison life. They tease each other and bicker, but occasionally arguments spill over into violence, unlocking a different side to the men.
It serves as a reminder that they are prisoners serving life sentences.
Peter Wight expertly captures Lenny’s very different sides, his frailty and confusion, but also the part of him that is darker. James Backway’s Mark brings heart into a cold and clinical system where everything involves a form.
Mona Goodwin’s Sonya is jaded, but her cynicism comes from experience.
It takes a beat to get into its stride, but when it does, Lifers is thought-provoking and gripping with a good smattering of laughs.
I’m giving it four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lifers, Southwark Playhouse
Written by Evan Placey
Directed by Esther Baker
Starring Peter Wight and James Backway
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes without an interval
Booking until 25 October, visit the Southwark Playhouse website for more information and to buy tickets.
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