Hobbit hits hard with inmate backup

What motivates good people to do bad things? Kate Rubin explores this idea in her latest production, a version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which takes place inside the William Head Prison in Metchosin.

Rubin explains that the William Head on Stage program, which has been running for over 30 years, is very unique, in that inmates work together with the theatre community to produce professional performances.

“There are no other places in Canada with such a program like this,” she says. “In Canada there are no other prisons that include professional actors and actresses like this program.”

One of the biggest reasons why this play and other William Head on Stage productions are very special is that inmates organize everything for the performances, including managing the stage, choosing a theme, financing, and so on. Rubin and her colleague Monica Prendergast say the reason why students should come to the play is to experience new worlds, adding that it’s an inspirational experience. It’s also a challenge for students to look at their opinions about those who are incarcerated, says Rubin.

“Inmates just made mistakes in their lives,” she says. “Some of them made bad mistakes. They are still human beings with hearts. They will have chances to heal, to be better people.”

Experiencing being in a prison and meeting inmates can help students to have a better understanding of who they are and how society can embrace them, says Rubin. Eventually, students’ assumptions about inmates could change from this experience.

Prendergast says that even though the play’s theme of greed is a little bit heavy, The Hobbit has a lot of fun scenes in it, too. Not to mention a huge amount of enjoyable escapism.

“Literature takes you to another world,” she says. “Simultaneously, the rest of the world disappears. It’s magical that in this amazing world there are elves, goblins, trolls, wizards, puppets, giant rabbits spiders. The audience will really feel it inside, because we are all around them.”

The Hobbit
Until November 10
William Head Prison
ticketrocket.org/the-hobbit