Mad About Shakespeare, is a weekend exploring madness in Shakespeare’s plays with performances, conversations and guest speakers, curated by Nick Hutchison at the Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall and Aldeburgh Cinema, running from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 May, raising funds for Second Stage, a new charity created to provide training, support and employment routes into the creative industries for those leaving the criminal justice system.

Second Stage was formed in response to a 2024 SOLT/UK Theatre survey which reported a shortfall in staff to fill backstage jobs across the country, with skills shortages found across most technical roles. At the same time, the prison population has risen by over 80% in the last 30 years and the current population stands at 87,966, just 1% short of full capacity. Herein lies a potential workforce, often with transferable skills from trades including carpentry, electrics, construction, hairdressing and sewing, that could be put to good use within a fast paced and adrenalin fuelled environment, within an artistic community.

Its aim is to address three key issues:

·High re-offending rates which cost the country over £23 billion annually

·The lack of meaningful employment opportunities for those with criminal records when c67% of employers admit to discriminating against them during recruitment processes

·High levels of skills shortages in backstage jobs in the theatre and live entertainment industry

Its mission is to engage with, train and offer viable employment opportunities to people leaving the criminal justice system, within the live events industry, in order that they may successfully resettle within their communities after prison and refrain from further offending.