Rules are rules. But in a place where true friendship is gold dust, rules beg to be broken. Chelle and Denise go way back. Denise, with her loud mouth and long extensions, made the same-old-same-old of prison life not so bad. But when Densie leaves, with no goodbye, no nothing, Chelle figures she's just run out of friendships. Then Ruthie walks in...

The story of their friendship unfolds in Jennifer Farmer's sharp and richly textured play. A production of Compact Failure by Clean Break Theatre Company, opened at Manchester Contact in October 2004, followed by a UK tour.