Five fishermen. £53 million of cocaine. An ongoing fight for justice.

In 2011, five fishermen on the Isle of Wight (Jamie Green, Jon Beere, Daniel Payne, Scott Birtwistle & Zoran Dresic) were sentenced to a total of 104 years for conspiracy to import £53m worth of cocaine. They have always professed their innocence. A tale that has long divided a community on the Isle of Wight. This powerful new play seeks to heal the divide 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. The South Coast cast and creatives delve into subjects of classical and contemporary smuggling, deteriorating coastal communities, immigration and folklore as well as examining this ancient profession’s place in our times.

Fresh from a sell-out coastal communities tour in 2023 award-winning Isle of Wight company Deadman is bringing it on a wider tour to audiences. Led by artistic director Samuel Bossman, Liam Patrick Harrison’s stageplay launches a detailed and rich theatrical investigation into the men’s tragic downfall.