Verbatim theatre company LUNG has announced a UK tour of its acclaimed production Woodhill, as the Ministry of Justice issues a response to a second urgent notification at HMP Woodhill in three years.
The announcement follows a report last month by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, which branded the Milton Keynes prison “not safe” and raised serious concerns about self-harm, healthcare delays, drug access and release planning.
The Ministry of Justice, alongside Prisons Minister Lord Timpson, has now released an action plan proposing improvements including a new safety strategy and prison refurbishments aimed at reducing the flow of illicit items.
Woodhill was created in collaboration with bereaved families whose relatives took their own lives at HMP Woodhill, and first premiered in 2023 to critical acclaim.
The 2026 tour will begin in Oxford in July before heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August and London in November, alongside stops across England and Wales including Salford, Liverpool, Sheffield and Leeds.
The tour forms part of LUNG’s ongoing campaign work with the Woodhill Families Group, calling for further systemic change within the prison system.
The company is calling for a meeting with Prisons Minister Lord Timpson and is urging commitments including the removal of ligature points in prison cells and the inclusion of families in national safety decision-making.
The Woodhill Families said ‘Our boys needed help, not punishment. They were given a prison sentence that turned into a death sentence. There is a crisis unfolding in our prisons. We are proud to be taking our story across the country and launching this national campaign. We will not stop until our voices are heard’.
Matt Woodhead, Co-Director of LUNG, said ‘‘For our families, it is heartbreaking to read that rates of self harm are still the highest in the adult male estate. The government’s response does not address this in any way. What action is being taken to keep these men in prison safe?’’.
Helen Monks, Co-Director of LUNG, said ‘Woodhill began as a tribute to those who have taken their lives at HMP Woodhill. Now, it has become a call for accountability. The urgent notification shows this crisis isn’t history – it’s happening now. We owe it to these families to keep the conversation alive.’
Drawn from first-hand testimonies, Woodhill is a dance theatre work combining verbatim accounts voiced by actors with dynamic choreography, exposing systemic neglect and injustice within the prison system.
The production has received multiple awards, including the Change Makers Award from the Sheila McKechnie Foundation and a Criminal Justice Alliance Award in 2025.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
