PREY FOR ME World Premiere to Open at Union Theatre in Southwark

Prey For Me, a new thriller from emerging writer Tuula Costelloe, will premiere at the Union Theatre in Southwark, on 31 August 2026.

Developed from her original script that reached the top 1% of the BBC Writersroom Open Call, Prey For Me throws audiences into the terrifying aftermath of a cyberattack that unlocks every cell in a Category A men's prison. As violence spreads through the prison's corridors and the authorities lose control, inmates turn predators, and the most vulnerable prisoners become targets. Leading the hunt is notorious hacker and gang leader Sawyer, unleashing a merciless pursuit of the prison's protected inmates: a disgraced former prison officer, a superstar footballer, a pitiful outcast and a serial killer. Fighting for their survival a terrifying tale of bravery, betrayal and sacrifice unwinds and as events spiral everything the audience thinks they know begins to unravel, with shattering real-world consequences.

Though fictional, Prey For Me is inspired by the real-world phenomenon of miscarriages of justice and the growing culture of public condemnation, drawing unsettling parallels with cases dominating headlines today. Exploring fear, mob mentality, and society's hunger for punishment, the play asks what could happen when society decides someone deserves punishment before the whole truth is known or worse, when the accused is innocent.

Following her critically acclaimed Off West End debut Christmas is Cancelled in 2025, writer Tuula Costelloe decided to adapt her leading BBC Writersroom submission (top 42 out of 4,200 entries) for the stage. While living with OCD, Costelloe became haunted by the fear of being wrongly accused, publicly vilified and condemned to spend years in prison for a crime never committed.

She says: “I was deeply disturbed by how quickly we can decide someone is guilty before we know all the facts. People can be, and have been, dragged through catastrophic trials and convictions only to be exonerated years later - or sometimes when it is already too late. 

I wanted to write the worst nightmare I could imagine for the stage. When I began learning more about miscarriages of justice involving medical professionals accused of being serial killers. I realised it might be happening in real-life, right now, and I knew I had to stand up”

“Prey for Me isn't about telling audiences what to think or which side to take. It's about questioning instincts, challenging mob mentality, and confronting what could happen when we get it wrong. Miscarriages of justice destroys lives, and I wanted to shine a light on how easily people can become prey when society decides they are monsters. In Prey For Me, I hope I have the words that could make a difference”.

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