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While work this delicate is extremely problematic when dealing with such a potentially volatile and psychologically fragile population as inmates—especially for psychiatric laymen—SBB does seem to have considerably positive effects on its participants. The procedure of new initiates having to be sponsored by seasoned members no doubt serves as a vital safeguard against the sort of emotional explosion that these conditions could potentially create; only inmates who others feel are far enough along in their overall rehabilitation and are emotionally and psychologically ready for this sort of soul-searching will be approached for inclusion. The relatively loose structure of the rehearsal process perhaps also helps the participants accentuate the human element of acting.
One outstanding moment encountered in the course of my research for this work exemplifies nicely the sort of therapeutic effects of participation in SBB. It happened during the performance of The Tempest for the invited outside audience. At the end of the play Prospero pardons his rebellious man-beast servant, Caliban, who in turn swears off drinking and rebukes his debauchers, Trinculo and Stephano. In the SBB production, the actor in the lead role forgoes his punishment of the atavistic beast with a gentle and forgiving touch of his head. The physically tremendous man playing Caliban proclaimed his contrition while lifting his massive arm to cuff Stephano, trembling at his feet, across the head; in this final performance, though, instead of hitting the butler, Caliban chose to gingerly pat him on the head. The choice was clearly a new spark of inspiration that had overcome the participant right on the spot, evidenced by the look of surprise that took possession of the face of the cast member playing Stephano. The tenderness shown the Caliban character by his “master” was extended to this third character in a genuine and spontaneous gesture that could only be realized after months of exploration of that given moment. The very real human contact the one cast member expressed to the other, under the guise of Prospero’s forgiveness of Caliban, sparked a chain reaction. This second participant quite obviously absorbed his character’s response to the act of mercy and maintained that feeling long enough to pass it on to his cast mate in a pure gift of human contact.