On 31 May 2010 eleven holdalls were discovered along the shore near Freshwater on the Isle of Wight; when opened they contained £53m worth of cocaine - the biggest haul ever found in UK waters. Five men were sentenced to a combined 104 years. In 2019 new evidence came to light that cast doubt on the original convictions.
Inspired by The Guardian’s award-winning podcast, (listen to it here: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2021/feb/19/the-freshwater-five-part-1-are-the-wrong-men-in-jail-podcast) we applied for research and development funding from Arts Council for a new production based around this incredible story. Delving into the case and the personal stories of the family, as well as the historical and cultural resonance surrounding it.
Summary
Following the success of the research and development we applied to embark on a coastal communities tour, successfully receiving Arts Council funding. Featuring an expanded cast and crew, the tour headed to a selection of coastal venues in early 2023, as well as a showcase at the Vault Festival.
