This Wide Night is a tender portrayal of two women trying to start over. On release from prison, Lorraine heads straight to Marie’s. They used to share everything inside, but find the friendship that once protected them now threatens to smother the fragile freedom they have found.
Chloë wrote the play after spending time in Cookham Wood prison (which has since been re-rolled as a young offenders' institution for young men), conducting writing workshops and speaking to women one-on-one. During this process, Chloë became interested in the experiences of long-serving offenders, how vital their friendships are, and what life is like for women resettling into society after release.
“After working in HMP Cookham Wood, I had enough material to write 50 different plays. I decided to concentrate on two aspects: the uniqueness of relationships formed in prison - and if they are able to exist in another context; and resettlement – particularly of women who have spent a long time in prison and who are released at a point in their lives when starting afresh can feel like a very hopeless prospect.” Chloë Moss
★★★★
