Penned Up

Can words be the greatest escape?

Welcome to HMP Ditchfield, where each week a group of prisoners are tasked with writing their own plays. From boxing rings to the Brazilian rainforest, from tragic pasts to wildly imaginative futures, these men learn that theatre is more than words on a page - it’s a way to reclaim their voices.

But as creativity collides with authority, tensions rise, secrets unravel, and laughter turns to rebellion.

Witty, raw, and full of heart, Penned Up is a powerful celebration of storytelling, second chances, and the unexpected bonds that form behind bars.

Written by award winning playwright Danusia Iwaszko, who uses her more than 15 years' experience of teaching playwriting to prisoners to explore what life is actually like behind bars. Think Porridge meets Brassed Off - both a laugh riot and a gut-punch.

Supported by Arts Council England, Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Community Foundation, Synergy Theatre Project, The Drapers’ Company, Menagerie, St Giles