New Play about masculinity, mental health and Mens Sheds announced
New play 'Men Don’t Talk' by Clare Prenton explores masculinity, mental health and Men’s Sheds, as part of Scottish tour this Autumn.
Article Source: Genesis Theatre Productions
Last Updated: 17 May 2024 15:41
Starring Scottish actor Billy Mack, alongside Dougal Lee and Greg Powrie Men Don’t Talk is announced during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Produced by Genesis Theatre Productions, Men Don’t Talk is part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, presented in partnership with Scottish Men’s Shed Association and Luminate.
In a week that marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and sees the men's mental health charity Men’s Sheds secure funding in Scotland, Genesis Theatre Productions is proud to announce details about new play Men Don’t Talk.
This Autumn, UK-based theatre maker Clare Prenton presents her new play Men Don’t Talk - a moving and poignant production that explores that very myth, as part of a Scottish tour that runs from Friday 18 October - Tuesday 19 November 2024.
Alongside being spotlighted in Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Men Don’t Talk will tour to Mull, Cumbernauld, the Borders, Peebles, Aberdeen, Orkney, Aberdeenshire, Paisley, Edinburgh and Cromarty, with further dates to be announced.
Starring stalwarts of Scottish theatre, actor Billy Mack is joined alongside Dougal Lee and Greg Powrie in a production that sees three men find banter, bird boxes and biscuits within a fictional men’s shed that celebrates companionship, camaraderie...and custard creams.
Inspired by real men’s stories, Men Don’t Talk was written by Prenton following cups of tea, cake and spirited conversations with real ‘shedders’ who participate in community workshops hosted by the Scottish Men’s Shed Association (SMSA).
Designed to provide opportunities to work together in a way that contributes to community development, the Scottish Men’s Shed Association’s overall aim is to support men coming together in a way that impacts positively on their health, wellbeing and education.
The moving production will invite audiences into a fictional men’s shed to address the importance of men coming together to talk about their emotions, feelings, trials and tribulations to promote positive masculinity.
Presented as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, in partnership with Scottish Men’s Shed Association and Luminate, Men Don’t Talk has been praised in the Scottish Parliament for promoting the benefits of this growing mental health and wellbeing movement.
This comes in the same year as the Scottish Government held a vital round table with practitioners and leaders who are working to promote positive masculinity in their broader approach to achieving equality across Scotland’s communities, and in a week that sees the Men’s Sheds secure a year’s funding in Scotland.
Talking about Men Don’t Talk, writer and director Clare Prenton, said: ‘It’s really gratifying and exciting to see a play that began with chats over a cuppa in my local Men’s Shed grow into a full length play, touring Scotland. The message it aims to convey is that it’s good for men to talk, and there are spaces for that across the shed network.
It’s been a privilege to partner with Scottish Men’s Shed Association (SMSA), Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) and Luminate to get this important message out there. If theatre can play a part in helping one man cross a threshold into a shed, then the play has played its small part in putting men’s health, wellbeing and suicide prevention in the cultural conversation.’
Producer of Men Don’t Talk and Founder of Genesis Theatre Productions Michelle McKay, added:
‘I am delighted that the first show produced by Genesis Theatre Productions is such an important one. With the high rates of male suicides in Scotland, the tour aims to highlight the importance of expressing emotions, whilst educating, entertaining and raising awareness of spaces like Men’s Sheds.’
Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said:
‘As Scotland’s largest and most successful men's health and wellbeing charity, the SMSA supports the play Men Don’t Talk wholeheartedly, and we encourage everyone to see the play to get a deeper understanding about what they can do to support themselves and loved ones.
To help create and raise the awareness of the plight men have found themselves in with the 'strong and silent' type generic cultural model, this play highlights the inherited situation and, more importantly, a new pathway now available through Scottish Men's Sheds to support the healthy change so desperately required for men in Scotland.’
Andrew Eaton Lewis of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival's said:
‘We're delighted to include the Scottish tour of Men Don't Talk, as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival's 2024 programme. Our festival theme this year is 'In/Visible', and we're interested in exploring which aspects of our mental health we keep hidden.
Clare Prenton's play, in which a group of men defy the stigma surrounding male mental health to open up about difficult and painful experiences, is an important and valuable part of that conversation.’
Developed by Producer Michelle McKay under her new company Genesis Theatre Productions, Men Don’t Talk is supported by by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Touring Fund and An Tobar and Mull Theatre.
To find out the full details and touring information for Men Don’t Talk, visit: www.genesistheatreproductions.co.uk
Sponsored Links
Latest Glasgow News
MINISO is coming to Buchanan Street... get ready to explore!
Global lifestyle sensation MINISO is set to bring its signature blend of joy, creativity, and affordable design to Buchanan Street, with a brand-new store opening on 26th November!
READ MORE
Black Friday Savings at Buchanan Galleries
Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow is abuzz with Black Friday deals, offering shoppers incredible discounts across a wide range of products – from fashion and footwear to jewellery, beauty, and homeware.
READ MORE
The Maclean Brothers row onto Celtic Connections bill as new wave of shows announced
The Maclean Brothers are among a wave of exciting new names to join the world-renowned Celtic Connections bill, it has been announced.
READ MORE
BBC CBeebies starts the panto season at Glasgow cinemas
The CBeebies panto Cinderella is coming to the big screen in Glasgow from Friday 21st November.
READ MORE
The Pavilion Theatre is taking part in the largest Black Friday Theatre Sale in the UK
As part of Trafalgar Entertainment, customers can now access some of the best theatre ticket deals for shows at the Pavilion Theatre as well as unmissable productions in the West End.
READ MORE
BBC ALBA Hogmanay Ceilidh to broadcast live from Glasgow
BBC ALBA will bring together some of Gaelic music's biggest names as Cèilidh na Bliadhn' Ùire returns to Glasgow to celebrate Hogmanay and usher in 2026.
READ MORE
Cast Announced for Flora, a new musical coming to The Pavilion Theatre Glasgow
The full cast has been revealed for Flora which sees one of Scotland's most famous daughters, Flora MacDonald, take centre stage to tell her own tale!
READ MORE
Christmas in Edinburgh and Glasgow: Celebrate the festive season with Candlelight Concerts
Featuring classic Christmas carols, this live, multi-sensory musical experience will light up St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral and Merchants House and The Trades Hall for an unforgettable evening.
READ MORE
Innis & Gunn to open the biggest festive beer hall in Glasgow at Winter Wonderland on The Green
Glasgow is getting its largest-ever Christmas beer hall, and it’s all down to award-winning brewer Innis & Gunn.
READ MORE
Find a festive backdrop in Glasgow and the West
From frosty gardens to cosy tearooms, National Trust for Scotland places in Glasgow and the West are offering a host of winter experiences and special events this festive season.
READ MORE
Glaswegians invited to Panto Town as Glasgow 850 finishes with festive flourish
Glaswegians are being urged to embrace the unique spirit of the city's pantomimes with the launch of Get You in Panto Town!
READ MORE
Buchanan Galleries celebrates the season of giving with festive family fun
The magic of Christmas has arrived at Buchanan Galleries, with a heartwarming line-up of festive activities taking place throughout November and December.
READ MORE
Scottish Ballet creates a brand new wee version of the big ballet
Scottish Ballet's Wee Nutcracker is coming to Glasgow's Tramway this December. The beloved festive ballet, The Nutcracker, has been specially adapted for wee ones aged 5+ and their families!
READ MORE
The Wizard Wae The Big Bawz: New adult panto brings comedy to Scotland in January
January needn't be a drag as Scotland's brand-new adult panto, The Wizard Wae The Big Bawz, hits the road, arriving just when the country needs a burst of joy!
READ MORE
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan lead new production of Waiting for Godot at the Citz
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan star as Estragon and Vladimir in a new production of Waiting for Godot, co-produced with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Octagon Theatre Bolton.
READ MORE
Hoolie in the Hydro opens doors to young Gaels for Glasgow 850
More than 1,300 Glasgow schoolchildren are being given the opportunity to access live music as part of a special tie-up between Hoolie in the Hydro and Glasgow 850.
READ MORE
ASN sessions to be held at Winter Wonderland Glasgow Green
Dedicated ASN sessions are to be hosted at Glasgow's Winter Wonderland at Glasgow Green to enable families in need of support to have a festive day out.
READ MORE
77th Glasgow (Disabled) Scouts awarded with highest honour given to volunteer led groups
The 77th Glasgow (Disabled) Scouts has been recognised with The King's Award for Voluntary Service 2025, the highest honour for volunteer-led groups in the UK.
READ MORE
Topgolf celebrating 25 years of fun with a week of deals and prizes
Topgolf's journey started in Watford at the turn of the millennium and has since grown into a global enterprise with more than 100 venues worldwide.
READ MORE
The Doddie Weir match ball delivery is voted Greatest Murrayfield Moment
Doddie Weir’s emotional match ball delivery at Murrayfield in 2017 has been voted the greatest moment in the stadium’s 100-year history, after thousands of fans took part in a nationwide poll.
READ MORE
Glasgow Fort unwraps festive celebrations
Christmas magic is set to return to Glasgow Fort on Thursday 20th November as the centre unveils its seasonal line-up!
READ MORE
Global fashion brand Stradivarius opens first Glasgow store at Silverburn
Scotland's leading retail and leisure destination, Silverburn, opens Glasgow's first-ever Stradivarius store, further elevating its fashion offering.
READ MORE
Boney M ft Maizie and Newton Faulkner join Fun For Life Fest lineup
Boney M featuring Maizie Williams are set to co-headline the Fun For Life Fest on Saturday 16 May 2026, with Newton Faulkner also joining the line up.
READ MORE
Trafalgar Entertainment becomes official sponsor of Box Office Radio
Global live entertainment company – Trafalgar Entertainment – has become the official sponsor of Box Office Radio.
READ MORE
New book launches in Busby by local author, Marissa McCudden
Debut author, Marissa McCudden, has launched her new book, 'There's Lots of Different Types of Clever' with illustrator, Michael Spy on Amazon.
READ MORE
Much loved classic Scottish play, The Steamie, is set to return to venues in 2026
The Steamie has been scrubbed up ahead of making a return to theatres across the country next year as part of an exciting new chapter in its long-standing story in the theatre landscape.
READ MORE
Medea to tour Scotland in 2026
Bard in the Botanics will be launching their 25th Anniversary year with a Scotland-wide tour of their award-winning version of Medea, by Kathy McKean (after Euripides).
READ MORE
The Ivy Buchanan Street unveils festive set menu for 2025
From traditional Turkey Ballotine to a tangy Tamarind Beetroot & Endive Salad the festive set menu brings the best of festive flavours, reimagined by The Ivy across two or three courses.
READ MORE
Glasgow will shine bright this Christmas with a new city centre lighting trail
Glasgow's Christmas lights are a much-loved tradition, and this year they will shine brighter than ever with a brand-new Christmas lighting trail set to illuminate the city centre from 20 November!
READ MORE
KOCHCHI expands to Glasgow, bringing Sri Lankan heat to the West End
The West End will welcome KOCHCHI, the award-winning Sri Lankan street food brand, as it opens its first standalone restaurant in the former The Hanoi Bike Shop on Ruthven Lane.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links