8 Hours There and Back at Waterside

8 Hours There and Back stops off at Sale’s Waterside theatre as part of its UK tour. Inspired by the real-life testimonies of children and young people with a parent in prison, the show follows the stories of Ruby, Jake and Grace as they navigate a world that they shouldn’t be in, and a judicial system that has forgotten about them. 8 Hours There and Back tells their stories through a fusion of theatre, dance and projections.

‘Our lives are timed around phone calls and visits that clash with our footy practice, dance classes, mate’s birthday parties, school lessons… We move house and live with our nans, granddads, aunties and uncles. We go to school and dodge looks and questions: What did they do? How long did they get? Have you seen them? We get our heads down, try to get good marks, stay out of trouble, blend in, be normal…’