The Freshwater Five is the debut show from award-winning Isle of Wight company Deadman.
In 2011, five fishermen on the Isle of Wight (Jamie Green, Jon Beere, Daniel Payne, Scott Birtwistle and Zoran Dresic) were sentenced to a total of 104 years for conspiracy to import £53m worth of cocaine. In 2021 new evidence came to light that cast doubt on the original convictions. A tale that has long divided the Isle of Wight community. This powerful new production seeks to present the case and its events on their merits and explore the state of our coastal communities.
Inspired by the wildly popular Guardian Today in Focus podcast, The Freshwater Five incorporates spectacular storytelling, verbatim accounts, inventive stagecraft, poetry and song. This Isle of Wight company delves into subjects of historical and contemporary smuggling, deteriorating coastal communities, immigration and folklore as well as examining this ancient profession’s place in our times.
The Freshwater Five is the debut show from award-winning Isle of Wight company Deadman. IOWers Artistic Director Samuel Bossman and playwright Liam Patrick Harrison’s full-length show is a detailed and rich theatrical investigation into the men’s tragic downfall and coastal communities. Touring to coastal communities and across the south east of England through 2023 and 2024, The Freshwater Five embarks on a UK tour in 2026.
About Deadman
Deadman is an award-winning working / precarious class-led theatre and film company whose work has been presented on stages across the south coast of England as well as international film festivals. The company and ensemble are dedicated to staging contemporary and captivating local narratives – for and from Britain’s unheard and underserved coastal communities.
