“Hardwicke Circus: The Prison Gig”

Описание: 'Hardwicke Circus: The Prison Gig' is a short, low-budget documentary following a small jobbing band from the north of England called 'Hardwicke Circus' as they perform a gig at 'Standford Hill HMP', a men's prison on the Isle of Sheppey in the south of England.

Shot in Ben Archer's fly-on-the-wall 'gonzo' style of filmmaking, the film from the band's late-2019 tour of England's south coast, documentary focuses on the joy of performance and music in an environment that does not often allow such expression. The band invite the inmates to join them on stage to perform their own material that they have worked on during their time inside, as well as freestyle rap during the band's songs.

Bookended by short commentary from the band's lead singer Johnny Foster, 'Hardwicke Circus: The Prison Gig' is an uplifting ode to the power and necessity of art, even for those that society have deemed not to deserve it.

A longer feature length documentary that follows Hardwicke Circus over many years, including their struggles as a jobbing band during the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions, is currently still in post-production.