Films

Sing Sing

Contributed

10 Sep 2024 — 2 min read

By Jack Weir

Colman Domingo shines in Sing Sing as Divine G, a man imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, who finds meaning in the prison’s theatre group in which he finds purpose and bears witness to the transformative power of art. 

This incandescent drama is heightened by the personal conflicts of Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, playing himself, as he tries to leave his gangster lifestyle behind in favour of something greater. The metamorphosis undergone in Maclin’s performance is profound as he warily reveals a side of him he had long abandoned, one that thrives on the stage rather than in prison. Domingo’s portrayal of Divine G is equally compelling, as a man whose dedication to his theatre group despite personal hardship restores one’s faith in humanity. 

Despite the bleak realities of its prison setting, there is much humour found in the prisoner’s wildly idiosyncratic development of their theatre show, which features characters from Ancient Egypt, Shakespeare, and the Freddy Krueger franchise crossing paths. Spending time with these prisoners as they endeavour to craft the perfect show, one which grants them unabashed freedom to express themselves, is a deeply moving journey that culminates in a cathartic expression of brotherhood that further emboldens their desire to overcome adversity. 

Many of the film’s ensemble play themselves, ex-prisoners from the real-life theatre group on which the film is based, making their rehabilitation through theatre all the more touching in its honesty. This empathetic film is their story, to be acted, to be heard, to be sung, to be seen.

Jack Weir is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University’s Film BA (Hons) course

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