Belfast Harbour Supports Restorative Justice Programme

‘Blackout’ is an initiative which aims to enhance understanding around the issue of young people and juvenile crime through the medium of drama.

Blackout is an initiative which aims to enhance understanding around the issue of young people and juvenile crime through the medium of drama.

Blackout, an initiative from the Creative Learning department at the Lyric Theatre Belfast, is a play that tells the story of a young man called James who wakes up to find himself in a prison cell with no recollection as to how he ended up there. The production was performed in 25 schools across Northern Ireland in partnership with Hydebank Wood College and the PSNI.

The project employed 7 emerging actors & artists over the last 6 weeks who worked in conjunction with young offenders from Hydebank. Some of these young offenders toured with the company and took part in post-show discussions sharing their experiences, in particular their experience with Restorative Justice programmes, in the hopes to dissuade young people away from crime.

The project was fully supported by the NI Prison Service and was sponsored by Belfast Harbour and Phoenix Natural Gas.

Belfast Harbour Supports Restorative Justice Programme
Blackout actors joined by Phoenix Natural Gas Executive Director Alastair Pollock, Belfast Harbour Communications and Corporate Responsibility Manager Jenni Barkley and Lyric Creative Learning Coordinator Philip Crawford