The untold story of a fascinating piece of Australian history, Point of No Return, is coming to Griffith Regional Theatre.
Based on the captivating true story of Australia’s first boys’ prison, Point of No Return is a riveting, energetic Australian drama about a group of boys struggling to survive in Tasmania’s Point Puer Boys’ Prison.
In 1834 the British Government set up the prison close to the notorious Port Arthur jail. It was the first attempt to rehabilitate young offenders, teach them a trade and return them to society.
Point of No Return is at Griffith Regional Theatre on Friday, 26 July at 11am and 7.30pm.
The prison for boys at Point Puer was an experiment, the first of its kind in the British Empire. Thousands of boys, some as young as nine, were separated from adult male convicts, taught religion and a trade in the hope they could be turned into worthy citizens of the new colony. Had the guards not been violent and illiterate criminals in their own right, it just might have worked.
Manager of Griffith Regional Theatre, Raina Savage said, “Most Australians are aware that the first convicts from Britain were sent to Port Arthur, but this play tells another fascinating story that is virtually unknown of the nearby boys’ prison at Point Puer.
Ms Savage said, “Living conditions were rough and punishments were often brutal. The boys were given some opportunities to learn a trade, read and write. But, this was sporadic and depended on the skills and attitudes of the guards, many of whom were once prisoners at Port Arthur.”
Point of No Return, written and directed by Alaine Beek, centres on a group of young convicts transported to Point Puer. The group face terrible hardship and strive to find hope for a future beyond the horrors of prison life. The leader of the group cleverly protects his gangs and fights to keep them together. A new young convict arrives and challenges the dynamics and relationships of the group. The prisoners are not the only ones struggling to survive in this harsh Tasmanian prison, the guards are also playing their own brutal game.
A lost piece of history. Fascinating – Unforgettable, Point of No Return is at Griffith Regional Theatre on Friday, 26 July at 11am and 7.30pm.
Tickets are Advance (before 12 July) $30; Adult $40.00; Concession $35; Members $25; U18: $15. Members can bring a friend for free.
Tickets can be purchased from the Box Office, by calling 6962 8444 or visit
Point of No Return is proudly sponsored by Deakin University.
Griffith Regional Theatre is a cultural facility of Griffith City Council and is proudly sponsored by
Griffith City Volkswagen.
