The Viewing Room

In the not-too-distant future, an overcrowded prison system enlists the middle class in the penitentiary process. As a result, a suburban couple find their lives turned upside down when they are 'drafted' to temporarily house an inmate whose identity and alleged crimes are called into question. Against official instructions they soon find themselves interacting closely with their guest, and their morality is forced to a breaking point when they realize what the State is demanding that they do.

Two 'ordinary' people battle with themselves and each other at the frontline of a power struggle between a criminal and the power that would end his life. With Daniel Rubin's The Viewing Room, timely and serious questions about democracy, freedom and collective responsibility are brought to the forefront. With shades of Guantanamo Bay and disturbing parallels to the current Bush Administration, this play is ultimately a story of human fear and frailty, a poignant and terrifying illustration of how our horror of difference can dehumanise us.

The Viewing Room was originally produced at the renown Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, where Mr. Rubin served as Playwright-In-Residence.

Rubin has a gift for turning social issues into vibrant theater
- Richard Christiansen, Chicago Tribune

A remarkable ability to summon raw emotion and to use theatrical conventions with flair.
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

AC Wilson's production, staged in the round, is grippingly ominous, full of convincing domestic detail yet infecting it with a palpable unease.
- Mark Shenton, The Stage, on 2005's The Biggleswades

An astonishing showcase of what can be produced by new young talent at short notice, The Rachel Corrie Ban has established Practicum as one to watch.
- Decca Aikenhead on Practicum'sBreaking News: The Rachel Corrie Ban

Visibly Vibrant
- Selena Mills, The Telegraph on Practicum's Reel to Real Festival