Real stories of prisoners' children shared in play

Eight Hours There and Back tells the story of children thrust into a difficult world after their parents were jailed

A play exploring the real-life stories of children whose parents or close relatives were sent to prison is touring the North West.

Director Emma Bramley was inspired by an episode of BBC North West Tonight, in 2019, which featured three children from Liverpool - Aaron, Bella and Cerys - speaking about the "indescribable" turmoil of having a family member in jail.

It led to the curent theatre production 'Eight Hours There and Back', which was recently seen for the first time by the three teenagers on whose experiences, among others, it was based.

Aaron said the emotions portrayed by the three main actors "really reflect how we felt at the time".

Back in 2019, Aaron spoke openly to the BBC about how he missed his father following his imprisonment, recalling the long bike rides the pair used to go on.

He said: "It's indescribable, the emotions that you go through."

Ms Bramley, of All Things Considered theatre company, said: "I saw the programme, and I was fascinated.

"They were so eloquent, lively and funny - and had just been put in such a terrible situation."

Aaron, whose father was sent to prison, spoke about his experience to BBC North West Tonight in 2019

After watching the BBC show, Ms Bramley contacted Dr Lorna Brookes, founder of the charity Time-Matters UK, which helps children deal with the incarceration of a parent or relative.

Dr Brookes, who had already been working with Aaron, Bella and Cerys, helped the production team make contact with about 60 young people in similar situations.

Scriptwriter Sarah Hogarth subsequently weaved together the stories shared in those interviews as the basis for the experiences of the three main characters in the play.

Bella, Cerys and Aaron said the play accurately depicted situations they had faced themselves

Five years after the original interviews, the BBC spoke to Aaron, Bella and Cerys as they watched a rehearsal of the play for the first time.

In one scene, a character is dismayed to learn her friends have seen news reports about her father's case on social media.

For Aaron, it was all too familiar.

"That scenario was very, very similar to the one that I experienced", he said. "I could relate to it quite a lot."

The play's title is taken from a comment Bella made as a young child, about a prison visit to see her uncle.

Watching the play now, she said: "I remember saying that years ago, and now it's on a bunch of posters.

She added: "I want people, when they see the full thing, to be able to understand it's not our fault. We're not the same as them, and it doesn't make us bad."

Dr Brookes said the play sought to promote the charity's message that the children of prisoners are "traumatised - but not the world's future offenders".

Eight Hours There and Back will be on tour until 22 October, visiting Liverpool, Blackpool, Lancaster and Manchester.