Sing Sing (2023) opens when the theater company RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) has just finished a performance of A Midsummer’s Night Dream and receives the applause. On stage are prisoners from Sing Sing prison in New York. The theater company really exists and was founded in 1996 and gives the prisoners the opportunity to work on themselves and find themselves. In the early years, most pieces were about drugs and crime, but also about a chance for change and recovery.
Director Greg Kwedar chose to have as many (former) RTA members play themselves in addition to professional actors. This gives a feeling of authenticity and many detainees pass by who have taken part in the performances themselves. Because this group in particular knows what it is like to be stuck and have a hopeless existence, the emotions and actions they exhibit are almost lifelike. The foundation now operates in many prisons throughout America and in addition to theater, they also organize workshops to keep prisoners busy and develop themselves.
Two strong players facing each other
The two main characters of the film, Divine G (Colman Domingo) and Divine Eye (ex-convict Clarence Maclin), play great performances. The first was convicted of a crime he did not commit. He is in prison for life and is constantly trying to prove his innocence. He spends the remaining time as an actor and writer on the plays that are performed every six months. When the newcomer Divine Eye is brought in at the next meeting, he proposes to play a comedy. The artistic director of the theater group writes a crazy story that ranges from Freddy Krueger to Shakespeare and even includes pirates, cowboys and gladiators. Don’t expect high drama because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about the creative process and how they get there. The friendships that arise and what those friendships mean within the prison walls are also moving to see.
In order not to get the feeling that you are watching a documentary, the makers have opted for a storyline that pits the two Divines directly against each other. The newcomer gets the chance to play the role of Hamlet. A role that would normally go to heavyweight Divine G. Of course, that doesn’t happen without a hitch, although the makers don’t put too much weight on that either.
Heavy but hopeful
Sing Sing sounds like a difficult film with heavy themes and it is. Yet the film feels mainly hopeful and contains plenty of amusing scenes. It introduces the viewer to a world that is completely unknown to most people and shows the power of art and theater on detainees. The film does this with a laugh and a tear. In addition, it is an entertaining film that could perhaps have been a little shorter, but has enough to keep you interested. The film has already received several nominations and the director and Domingo have previously won prizes.
Image: Still ‘Sing Sing’ via Filmdepot