
Penned Up 2025 UK Tour

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
Penned Up Tour Dates
Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal
Wednesday 10th September - Thursday 11th September
Theatre Royal, Westgate St, Bury Saint Edmunds IP33 1QR
Greenwich Theatre
Saturday 13th September
Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES
The Garage Norwich
Thursday 18th September -
Friday 19th September
The Garage, 14 Chapel Field North, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1NY
Sudbury Quay Theatre
Saturday 20th September
Quay House, 6 Quay Ln, Sudbury CO10 2AN
Chelmsford Theatre Studio
Tuesday 23rd September
Chelmsford Theatre Studio, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1JG
Trinity Theatre
Wednesday 24th September
Trinity Theatre, Church Rd, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN1 1JP
Pavilion Arts Centre
Thursday 25th September -
Friday 26th September
Pavilion Arts Centre, St John's Rd, Buxton,
SK17 6BE
The Grand Theatre
Monday 29th September
The Grand Theatre, 33 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HT
Southmill Arts Centre
Wednesday 1st October
Southmill Arts Centre, 1-3 South Rd, Bishop's Stortford CM23 3JG
Arcola Theatre
Monday 6th October -
Saturday 11th October
Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin St, London, E8 3DL
Our Supporters
Arts Council England
Suffolk County Council
Suffolk Community Foundation
Synergy Theatre Project
The Drapers’ Company
Menagerie, St Giles