Penned Up Tickets - London
Is it possible that words can be the great escape?
Welcome to HMP Ditchfield, where a group of prisoners is challenged each week to write plays.
From the Brazilian rainforest to boxing rings, from wildly imaginative visions of the future to painful pasts and regrets, these men learn to discover that real theatre is more than mere words on a page — it’s a separate lifeline, a pathway to reclaim their voices.
But when authoritarian control clashes with creativity, tensions bubble to the surface, secrets unravel, and laughter makes way to accommodate rebellion.
Using his 15 years of experience of teaching playwriting in prisons, award-winning playwright Danusia Iwaszko's new play provides an unflinching and powerful glimpse at life on the inside.
Packed full of heart and wit, Penned Up is a powerful and raw celebration of storytelling, second chances, and the unexpected and powerful bonds that can form behind bars.
Just imagine Brassed Off meets Porridge — a laugh, a riot, and a gut-punch in equal measure.
Penned Up will play a limited season at the Arcola Theatre from 7 - 11 October 2025