The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts continued with an intriguing season of diverse drama and entertainment with this performance in a Merseyside bail hostel.

The twist was that the audience was in the Paul McCartney Auditorium at the institute-

Enjoying the play thanks to a live satellite link so that the actors, four bail hostel residents, could also hear the applause.

The mastermind behind this unique evening was Alexandra Russell who helped four residents of the bail hostel to devise a play about their experience.

But this was an evening of two parts, the latter being an “In conversation with Professor James McGuire”, a University of Liverpool lecturer and a leading criminologist.

After a few technical delays, The Denied began and, even though the four actors did not have any performance finesse, it was a moving affair.

Two men played prisoners incarcerated in 2103 and another two portrayed their captors with the themes of prejudice and loss of freedom intertwined.

It was a great idea to follow up the play with an interesting and informative discussion with Professor McGuire, hosted by LIPA Chief Executive Mark Featherstone-Witty, and Alexandra hot-footed from the hostel to join them on stage.

Dr. McGuire shared his views on the justice system and provided some hard facts about the success of rehabilitation.

Alexandra explained her motivation for The Denied and, when she said that one of the men told her after the performance that this experience had changed his life, the applause was spontaneous and heartfelt.

This was an unusual evening that offered a fascinating glimpse inside our justice system and gave four men a chance to be heard.