Act of Murder

Television (Full Length) – 1993

This film documents Miranda Harcourt taking her stageplay Verbatim (written by Harcourt and William Brandt) to prison audiences. The play is a six-character monologue made up of accounts of violent crime, all performed by Harcourt. Director Shirley Horrocks captures the reactions of the prison inmates watching their own lives unfold on stage. Harcourt’s powerful performance is augmented with revealing testimonies of the broken men and women who agree to be interviewed. The documentary won the premier prize at the 1993 Media Peace Awards.

It changed the way I act, direct and teach…the exposure to people who are in real pain because of what they have been through increased my humanity. It made me a broader person and even a better parent. I have seen very clearly the restorative power of drama in a prison context. We have to find ways to heal people to reduce recidivism, and drama therapy is one of the ways we can do that.
– Miranda Harcourt on the legacy of her and William Brandt's 1993 play Verbatim, Creative New Zealand, 25 August 2011