Lifers – Southwark Playhouse Borough

As part of my drama degree in late ‘90s Liverpool, we were required to complete a Theatre In Education project (TIE). The aim was to bring live performance to a civic space where such larks are rare or unlikely. Stage a grime-infused Macbeth at an inner-city school. Perform avant garde ballet in a local authority funded care home. That type of thing.

Together with my crew of fellow misfits on my course, we opted to bring our theatrical talents to the most captive of audiences, prison inmates. The concept shattered when faced with the complex, frustrating and brutal reality of staging anything in a prison. Simply visiting an inmate at a UK correctional facility is never less than a bureaucratic, dystopian terror trip. Do-gooding, weed-fuelled drama students are likely fall hard at the first hurdle. Which we did.

Esther Baker is Artistic Director of Synergy Theatre Project, which has succeeded with distinction where my shambolic theatre troupe failed. Founded over 20 years ago, Synergy creates work across theatre and the criminal justice system. In addition to producing shows in prisons, they offer theatre-based training to prisoners and ex-prisoners leading to placements and employment. Their philosophy, commitment and track record of using theatre for community transformation is impressive and inspirational.

Directed by Esther Baker, Lifers at the Southwark Playhouse is produced by the Synergy Theatre Project and delivers a fine example of quality work stemming from diligent engagement with the subject matter. Lifers has a nuanced focus on a number of social and ethical quandaries that the UK prisons system presents, while also serving impressive entertainment. The prospect of a play about pensioners in prison isn’t widely appealing but miss this show at your peril. Lifers is quietly important theatre that’s evolved from workshops and research. It’s very funny, emotionally bracing, brilliantly performed and ultimately, grimly haunting.

Lenny (Peter Wright) is part of a loose crew of 3 older prisoners who hang out and play cards together. Ricky Fearon plays Baxter, a wise, witty peacemaker amongst the trio, despite being consistently ribbed by Norton (Sam Cox). Cox plays Norton with enough dexterity that the audience can’t help but laugh at his vindictive jibes and relentless needling of the other 2 players. The trio trade in gallows humour, suffused with rancour and pettiness. Amid the blokey banter, curfews and rec periods, Lenny becomes increasingly confused and volatile. He appears to be presenting with dementia symptoms.

Lenny’s escalating problems are noticed and then flagged up by a conscientious prison guard called Mark (James Backway). The bureaucracy and financial reality of providing healthcare for inmates becomes the focus of the play, and the audience are presented with the ethical dilemmas inherent in the system. Mona Goodwin plays Sonya, a prison staffer (and also an NHS doctor) whose optimism and capacity for compassion have been eroded to a cold but understandable pragmatism.

Lifers serves a number of narrative surprises that are best not discussed, except to say that that they are executed with great skill. Written by Evan Placey, Lifers boasts a glut of raw dialogue, but also a brilliantly crafted narrative that takes advantage of the audience’s assumptions and sympathies. Many thrillers rely on an unreliable narrator to hoodwink the reader. Lifers relies on the audience avoiding difficult questions, then slaps them hard with awful answers.

James Backway also plays Lenny’s son, Simeon, who comes to the prison to visit his incarcerated father for the first time. It’s an incredible turn from Backway who brings a forensic intensity to this character which is horribly spellbinding to witness. My jaw dropped. I blinked back a tear.

While the scenes between Mark and Sonya, in a local bar, debating and bitching about working in the prison service had less verité than other parts of the play, they were instructive in helping the audience understand the complex challenges faced by the state, staff and inmates who often have conflicting, yet urgent demands.

Lifers is provocative, informative and challenging. It provides no easy answers, but as a piece of theatre, it’s compelling and accomplished.

Lifers is at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 25th October 2025,

Southwark Playhouse – Theatre and Stuff – Borough & Elephant

Reviewer: Stewart Who?

Reviewed: 13th October 2025
North West End UK Rating: