The last thing jail bosses want to hear about are inmates performing a disappearing act or so you might think.
At Perth Prison, vanishing tricks and other illusions have been actively encouraged as part of a new stage show designed to challenge public perceptions about life behind bars.
Now You See It was put together with the help of the Royal Conservatoire Scotland (RCS) and performed in front of family members and fellow prisoners.
Jail staff said the show was a major success and went some way to rehabilitating inmates by boosting confidence and encouraging them to learn new skills.
An original script, including songs, was written by the prisoners themselves.
The RCS has been working at the jail for 15 years, first with annual residences and then weekly drama classes.
Now You See It was their third major stage show.
Head of performance pedagogy at RCS, Deborah Richardson-Webb, said: “The performances have gone from strength to strength over the years.
“It’s wonderful to see the visitors’ centre transformed into a theatre space.
“The subject of this performance was a thoughtful interrogation into what happens when all our ‘tricks’ fail us, all our strategies let us down and we realise there is no magic solution, only ourselves to put things right.”
Alan Arundel, head of offender outcomes at HMP Perth, said: “This event was an excellent example of what can be achieved working in collaboration with partners to enhance the assets of our offenders.”
A special matinee show was staged for relatives, while an evening performance was held for an audience of other inmates.
One ex-inmate who took part in a previous show returned to the jail to watch this year’s performance.