Point of no return

Based on a fascinating true story, Point of No Return is an energetic new stage show about a group of youths struggling to survive in Tasmania’s Point Puer Boys’ Prison.

The Essence Productions play arrives to Drysdale’s Potato shed on July 20-21 as part of its Victorian tour and explores Australia’s first boys’ prison established in 1834; it was the first of its kind for the British Empire and an experiment that aimed to rehabilitate young offenders.

Writer and director Alaine Beek said living conditions were rough and punishments were often brutal for the boys aged between 10 to 20 years but as she delved into the prisons history found the boys resilience commendable.

“I found it incredulous when researching Point Puer that, despite their circumstances, these kids still managed to find humour in their lives and took ridiculously stupid risks just to lash back at authority,” she said.

“Putting youths in such horrific circumstances to fend for themselves is hard to fathom. The whole concept of youth rehabilitation is interesting and from recent events in Australia we still haven’t solved it.

“The recent riots and outbreaks at the youth detention centres in Parksville and Malmsbury reflect what teenagers are about. The Northern Territory royal commission that came out of Don Dale riots highlights that everything they did wrong at Point Puer is still happening today.”

Mrs Beek said Point of No Return documents the journey of boys becoming men and of youths desperately seeking a place to belong; despite being littered with struggle and hardship, it’s also a unique tale of hope, with many going on to become Australia’s first colonists.

From its initial presentation as a short piece by grade six students at the Werribee Primary School to its first professional Victorian Tour, this July and August, Essence Productions offers Victorian theatre lovers a rare glimpse into a little-known corner of Australian history.

Point of No Return is a tale of the past with relevant links to the future and ongoing challenges of correctional facilities that are now more than 180 years old.

“The fact that Point Puer was the British governments first attempt ever at separating boys from men in prisons and attempting rehabilitation instead of punishment is astonishing and, for its time, ground breaking,” she said.

“For all its many failures it also had successes – many of the youths survived and became the first colonists of Australia. Yet I find it difficult to comprehend a 10-year-old boy being put on a prison hulk and sent to Australia, it would have been horrifying.”

For more information, head to pointonr.com.