by Tom Cotterill
Prison bosses have axed a gay opera telling the imagined love story of Ivor Novello and ’Mad’ Frankie Fraser due to be staged at one of Britain's most notorious jails.
The production of "1944: Home Fires" was set to go ahead at London’s Wormwood Scrubs prison but it was axed with just four days' notice, leaving furious organisers 'devastated'.
The show's producer claimed the decision to pull the plug on the opera - which had been in the works for two months - was because jail bosses feared negative press coverage. But the Prison Service said the show was not 'the best use of officers' time'.
The opera, which is now scheduled to take place elsewhere in London later this week, is based on the time that singer, actor and composer Ivor Novello spent in prison in 1944. Novello, who was one of the most popular entertainers in the first half of the 20th century, was gay and jailed for misuse of petrol coupons.
Produced by Homo Promos, the stage show envisages Novello sharing a cell with violent gangster Fraser, who spent 42 years behind bars for crimes including bank robbery. He is said to have been in Wormwood Scrubs at the same time as Novello.
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| Wormwood Scrubs jail. The show's producer claimed the decision to pull the plug on the opera - which had been in the works for two months - was because Prison Service bosses feared it could lead to negative press coverage. Photo: Getty Images |
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| The production company's announcement on Instagram. "1944: Home Fires" was set to go ahead at London's Wormwood Scrubs prison but was axed with just four days' notice, leaving organisers 'devastated'. Photo: homopromos/instagram |
The opera's website says: 'This almost-true story explores class war, electric shock treatment, the nature of masculinity — and how to rebuild a life you think is in ruins.'
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| Gangster 'Mad' Frankie Fraser spent more than half his life in jail and was said to have been at Wormwood Scrubs at the same time as popular entertainer Ivor Novello. Photo: Police handout |
But on Saturday, the production firm announced the show had been canned 'with no explanation' from the Prison Service.
In a statement on the production company's Instagram, producer Peter Scott-Presland said: "We are devastated. This was going to be the high point of the tour and a homage to a great gay icon."
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| Ivor Novello - who was jailed for the misuse of petrol coupons. Photo: Getty Images |
"To cancel at four days' notice without any reason given is unbelievably unprofessional and a great step back in the progress the Prison Service has been making towards equality and diversity.
"We can only apologise to all those staff and inmates who were looking forward to this show, many of whom were LGBT+ themselves and looked to this to give some sort of affirmation."
Mr Scott-Presland claimed he had approached the west London jail 'two and a half months ago' with the idea to stage the show 'in situ' at Wormwood Scrubs.
Speaking to The Times, he claimed the prison's neurodiversity support manager said they would 'love to' have opera performed in the jail - which has been home to some of Britain's most ruthless killers, including Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and Moors murderer Ian Brady.
The producer admitted he was 'gobsmacked' by the initial show of support from the jail and wanted to 'encourage' it, sending a script to the jail for bosses to read.
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| The opera, which is now scheduled to take place elsewhere in London later this week, is based on the time that singer, actor and composer Ivor Novello (pictured) spent in prison in 1944. Photo: Copyright Bettmann Archive |
However, following two site visits - the last on Wednesday - Mr Scott-Presland said he received an email on Friday saying the show was being cancelled under orders from the senior chiefs at the Prison Service.
'No reason was given whatsoever. I get the impression that although some staff are really keen on doing this sort of support work for LGBT prisoners and so on, there are other people who are absolutely paranoid in the Prison Service and probably the Home Office as well that this is going to become a weapon in the woke wars, that the right-wing tabloids are going to get hold of it,' the 74-year-old told The Times.
A Prison Service spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'The Prison Service is proud to be an inclusive employer but facilitating this event would not, at the moment, have been the best use of officers' time at Wormwood Scrubs.'
The show is being staged on Wednesday at London's Tower Theatre.
First published at Daily Mail Australia, September 4, 2023
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