A Bury St Edmunds playwright who has spent over a decade teaching scriptwriting to prisoners is hoping to change misconceptions with her new play.

Danusia Iwaszko, 65, has lived in Suffolk for 20 years, but has been working with prisoners for 15 years. 

Ms Iwaszko recalled one of many success stories in which one of the inmates initially said he would only attend to escape the cells.

Over time, he ended up writing a full-length screenplay entitled 'The Archbishop and the Antichrist' which was released as feature film 'The Forgiven' in 2018 starring Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana.

East Anglian Daily Times: Danusia Iwaszko, 65, has lived in Suffolk for 20 years, but for the last 15 has been touring the country teaching playwrighting to prisoners.Danusia Iwaszko, 65, has lived in Suffolk for 20 years, but for the last 15 has been touring the country teaching playwrighting to prisoners. (Image: Danusia Iwaszko)

Initially, she was approached by the Synergy Theatre Project to teach in Hollesley Bay prison near Woodbridge.

"I wasn't sure, as I'd never been into a prison, but I thought I'd give it a go," she said.

"I've worked with murderers, I've worked with terrorists, I've worked with people who have been charged with less serious crimes.

"But the plays they've all produced are stunning."

East Anglian Daily Times: Ms Iwaszko was approached by the Synergy Theatre Project to teach in Hollesley Bay prison near Woodbridge.Ms Iwaszko was approached by the Synergy Theatre Project to teach in Hollesley Bay prison near Woodbridge. (Image: Newsquest)

She has worked in a variety of prisons, from top security institutes to open prisons, but says that there are budding playwrights in every environment.

"At the beginning, I thought they'd never learn," said Ms Iwaszko.

"But the self confidence transformation is stunning."

Ms Iwaszko noted that 51% of incoming prisoners have literacy problems, but this doesn't hold them back from creating new worlds and also helps lower the re-offending rate.

East Anglian Daily Times: Over the last year and a half, Ms Iwaszko has been working on Penned Up, a play based on her experience with teaching scriptwriting in male prisons.Over the last year and a half, Ms Iwaszko has been working on Penned Up, a play based on her experience with teaching scriptwriting in male prisons. (Image: Danusia Iwaszko)

Over the last year and a half, Ms Iwaszko has been working on Penned Up, a play based on her experience with teaching scriptwriting in male prisons, which she hopes will "show their humanity, not their crime."

She added: "I hope that the audience will care enough to question locking them up and throwing away the key."

The script in hand reading of Penned Up will take place at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds on Monday, February 20.

East Anglian Daily Times: The script in hand reading of Penned Up will take place at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds.The script in hand reading of Penned Up will take place at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds. (Image: Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds)