Game Over (Touring Edition)
by Mark Wheeller

A powerful shortened version of Mark Wheeller’s acclaimed verbatim play about online grooming, gaming culture and the tragic true story of Breck Bednar.

Adapted for a small cast of 6 and a 50-minute running time, Game Over (Touring Edition) is ideal for school performance, touring theatre, youth theatre and educational outreach.

Based on the true story of Breck Bednar, a talented and much-loved teenager who was groomed online and murdered in 2014 by a supposed friend he met through gaming, Game Over is a gripping and deeply moving play that speaks directly to young audiences living in a digital world.

Mark Wheeller’s verbatim script draws on the words of Breck’s family, friends and others connected to the case, creating a compelling piece of documentary theatre that is both theatrically effective and socially urgent.

Game Over (Touring Edition)

This specially adapted touring edition has been created for companies and schools looking for a shorter, more flexible version of this important play.

Game Over (Touring Edition) offers:

• a cast of 6
• a 50-minute running time
• a script suitable for touring productions, festivals and school settings
• a powerful way to explore online safety, grooming and coercive control
• strong links to PSHE, safeguarding, citizenship and drama
• an emotionally engaging piece of verbatim theatre for young performers and young audiences

For teachers, the play opens up urgent conversations around digital relationships, online manipulation, vulnerability, trust and the hidden dangers of social media and gaming platforms.

For touring companies, it offers a lean, impactful production with real educational value and clear relevance for schools, festivals, studio spaces and community venues.

About the play

Breck is bright, funny and passionate about technology and gaming. When he meets an older online gamer who appears to understand his ambitions and interests, a dangerous relationship begins to take hold. As the bond deepens, Breck becomes increasingly isolated from those trying to protect him.

Told through a series of fast-moving scenes using real words from interviews and records, Game Over charts the devastating consequences of online grooming and the lasting impact of Breck’s death on his family.

This touring edition keeps the force of the original while making the play more practical for small-scale performance and educational touring.

Game Over (Touring Edition) is particularly suited to:

• drama teachers looking for a relevant, hard-hitting contemporary play
• schools and colleges seeking issue-based theatre with educational impact
• touring theatre companies working in schools and studio venues
• youth theatres wanting meaningful ensemble work
• PSHE and safeguarding programmes
• GCSE, BTEC and A-level drama contexts, especially where devised, documentary or verbatim theatre is studied

Mark Wheeller is one of the UK’s most widely performed and respected playwrights for schools and young people. His plays are known for combining theatrical flair with serious social themes, making them enduring favourites with teachers, students and touring companies alike.

With Game Over (Touring Edition), he brings one of the most urgent stories of the digital age into a format that is accessible, performable and highly relevant for today’s audiences.

CAST: 6
Running time: 50 minutes
Best for: Schools, youth theatre, touring companies, educational performance
Themes: online grooming, internet safety, gaming culture, manipulation, family, loss, safeguarding

To enquire about bulk orders, educational use or performance licences, please contact Salamander Street.

Reviews:
‘[A] chilling and harrowing tale, skilfully written using the words of Breck’s family, friends and his killer. It deals with the potentially disastrous effects of social media and how to keep safe online by recognising the signs of grooming and exploitation.’
Vivienne Lafferty, Trustee, National Drama