Powerful production about deaths at Milton Keynes prison sends serious message at Edinburgh Festival

A gut-punching show centred around the high number of past deaths at MK’s Woodhill Prison is taking Edinburgh Festival by storm.

Performed by the Lung Theatre company, the production shines a light on the hidden story of HMP Woodhill, based on testimonies from the victims’ families.

It revolves around the self-inflicted deaths of three inmates, Kevin Scarlett, Stephen Farrar and Chris Carpenter, and their stories are told in the words of their families as they try desperately to investigate how the tragedies happened.

Kevin 30, was found dead in his cell in May 2013 and Stephen 25, was found dead seven months later. Chris, 34, was found unresponsive in his cell after a drug overdose in 2018. Their inquests were all critical of failures at the jail that contributed to their deaths.

The three inmates were among a shockingly high number of men who have taken their own lives at Woodhill. In 2018, the HM Inspectorate of Prisons reported 20 men had taken their lives in the previous seven years at Woodhill – and this was higher than at any other jail in the UK.

Since then, there been further cases, though prison bosses say the numbers have reduced.

The Lung Theatre production, which is in collaboration with the The North Wall Arts Centre, is described by reviewers as “dazzling” and massive leap forward in the campaign to put an end to preventable deaths in state custody or care.

The theatre company’s aim is to make hidden voices heard. They made their first verbatim show in 2016 about the Bradford City stadium fire and have followed the same template since, using pre-recorded stories and dance.

Their introduction to the performance states: “Gut-punching choreography and unflinching beats shine a light on the hidden story of HMP Woodhill. Lyrically told in their own words, three families investigate what happened to their boys. What they discover is so haunting, it turns their world upside down. An explosive true story.”

Writer and director Matt Woodhead spent four years interviewing prison officers, judges, prison inspectors and campaigners to produce the piece.

Four performers stand in front of storage racks, the shelves filled with empty boxes. The audience thinks they’re about to speak, but instead they hear pre-recorded voices play through speakers. The performers then start to move, using the rhythm of the words as a dance score.

The production is working alongside the No More Deaths Campaign run by Inquest, the charity that provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation.

It asks Edinburgh Festival audiences to sign Inquest’s petition to the government, calling for a National Oversight Mechanism to be formed – an independent public body responsible for collating, analysing and following-up on recommendations arising from inquests, inquiries, official reviews and investigations into state-related deaths.

Lung Thearte’s Woodhill is at Summerhall, Edinburgh, until August 27. It then moves on to Shoreditch Town Hall in London from September 20 to October 7, followed by North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford on October19 and October 20.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the families of Chris Carpenter, Kevin Scarlett and Stephen Farrar. Over the past decade, we have made significant changes to improve mental health support at HMP Woodhill leading to a reduction in self-inflicted deaths.”