Gripping drama captures women’s stories about crime, justice and childcare
Papertrail, in association with Clean Break, will be touring Siân Owen’s powerful play, A Visit across Wales this October.
A Visit is a play about crime, justice and childcare and who takes care of the kids when a mum gets sent to prison.
Papertrail and Siân Owen have created a gripping piece of theatre inspired by the real life stories of the women and young people they have worked with.
Writer, Siân Owen (National Theatre’s Under Milk Wood and under commission for Welsh National Theatre’s 2026 programme) was inspired to write about the impact this has on Welsh women, and their families, and set the drama in her family’s hometown of Aberdare.
Since 2019 Papertrail and Siân Owen, supported by Clean Break, met and interviewed women and children impacted by maternal imprisonment from Wales and England. They also met with academics and social workers who have worked with families in the criminal justice and prison system.
The strong all-female cast includes Siwan Morris (Gwaith Catref, Wolfblood, Caerdydd, Skins and Theatr Genedlathol productions) and Bethan McLean (Sherman Theatre & Theatr Soar - The Merthyr Stigmatist & Bwmp & ‘Yr Amgueddfa’ (S4C) and Lizzie Caitlin Bennett (Recently graduated from Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama).
A Visit was conceived by Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Papertrail, Bridget Keehan, who having experienced prison visits herself, wanted to convey something of this reality to audiences.
“Papertrail is a company that stages unheard voices and being a child with a parent in prison is a story rarely told. Our latest play, A Visit, invites the audience to step into the shoes of its characters and imagine how they might feel. The show was performed last year in Pontypridd and it really impacted audiences, enabling them to understand what happens to families and kids caught up in this situation. We also want to shine a light on the particular challenges faced by women and their families in Wales, and the very long distances children have to travel in order to see their mum.” Bridget Keehan.
Currently there are no female prisons in Wales. Families must travel on average 3 to 4 hours outside of Wales to see their relatives in prison, bringing with them young children on this overwhelming experience, this is much higher than those living in England.
Clean Break published an article in 2018 which included research around women in prisons, and those from Wales. The research reveals something of the emotional cost that maternal imprisonment has on children, ‘three-quarters of the women in prison are mothers, and two-thirds of them have children under eighteen’ (Maruna and Liebling, 2005), with many young families having to face long distances to travel. The article also cited a Home Office Study showing that for 85% of mothers, prison was the first time they had been separated from their children for any significant length of time (Women in Prison, 2018). It was reported that for mothers, separation from their children is the most painful aspect of incarceration (Maruna and Liebling, 2005).
In the last few months, the UK Government announced it wants to see more community-based sentencing for women offenders, with 75% of women imprisoned serving less than 12 months and 60% reported being victims of domestic abuse (Source: Ministry for Justice). It is estimated that, in 2020, more than 17,500 children were separated from their mother by imprisonment. Parental imprisonment can double the risk in children of poor mental health and place them at greater risk of poverty, poor health and insecure housing. (Source: Prison Reform Trust).
Following the performance there will be a short discussion on the themes the show raises.
A Visit will be touring to:
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff - 7th & 8th October 2025
Swansea Grand Theatre - 15 October 2025
Soar Theatre, Merthyr Tydfil - 17 October 2025
Aberystwyth Arts Centre - 24 October 2025.
All performances include integrated captions and two BSL Interpreters - Claire Anderson & Cathryn McShane.
Age guidance 12+
Content Warnings: The play contains references to supply of illegal drugs and imprisonment.
Tickets £10-£16 plus a Booking Fee at some venues
Further information about A Visit and the workshops can be found at papertrail.org.uk
A Visit has been created by Papertrail in association with Clean Break. It has been supported by Arts Council of Wales, National Lottery and Welsh Government.