Clear Men’s Talk - Baton of Hope

The guys have taken a break from performing over the summer, so this will be their first outing since July, when they appeared at the Samaritans regional conference in Harrogate.

Preparations began a couple of weeks ago, with the men coming together to rehearse. We work on text, confidence, physicality and contingencies: reallocating lines, refining positioning, and running through the piece again.

We make travel arrangements and agree to meet at Dewsbury railway station at 8:15am. Some of the men will leave home before 7am to catch their bus.

So, what can you expect if you come along?

Men’s Talk has been created with, and is performed by, men with lived experience of mental ill health. The stories you’ll hear are true for someone in the group, but not necessarily the actor telling them.

The piece lasts for 35 minutes. There are no props, no exits or entrances, and no costumes—except for the suits the men keep at the end of the tour.

Men’s Talk is an ensemble piece, with the actors taking on a variety of roles.

Before the show, we give a trigger warning: there will be talk of suicide and self-harm. The piece is not intended for a family audience.

You can expect to hear about family breakdown, poverty, domestic abuse, childhood trauma, masculinity, anxiety, depression, and navigating the system. Although this may sound bleak, there are lighter moments—honest.

Hopefully, what you see will surprise you. The men are not trained actors; most had never been on stage before joining Men’s Talk. What you’ll witness is seven men working together to produce a performance that is honest, meaningful and passionate.

The show is followed by a Q&A session, where the men take questions from the audience.

Men’s Talk gives audiences permission—and the language—to talk about men’s mental health. It’s not unusual for people to approach us after the show to talk about their own experiences or those of a family member.

No matter how often they perform, the cast still talk about the impact Men’s Talk has on them: the high after the show, the power of applause, the affirmation from both “experts” and “peers”.

Performing Men’s Talk gives them purpose, identity and a sense of achievement: “it’s a buzz that lasts all day”.