Father Figurine presents a timely "message of hope" in response to the rising numbers of young men dealing with mental health issues.
This emotive yet uplifting new work uses a mix of spoken word poetry and hip hop dance to explore the fractured relationship between a father and son. Will they be able to share their emotions with each other? Or will they fall into the statistic of nearly half of men believing they can’t express their feelings?
Current figures show that 75% of mental illnesses start by 18. Father Figurine questions the stigmas around the mental health of men and boys to find new ways to discuss the fragility and vulnerability that exists within all of us.
Body Politic are a hip hop theatre company who are committed to addressing the growing prevalence of mental health issues in young people. Their work isn’t just about raising awareness. It’s a fight to keep mental healthcare at the tip of our tongues and affect real change. Continuous change.
Pre & Post-show events
At the start of each show there will be a pre-show performance from the Dance and Drama BA Degree course at Kingston University, who have worked with artistic director Emma-Jane Greig and writer & performer Isaac Ouro-Gnao on a short work with interlinking themes of mental health in young people. Supported by Kingston University and PACE.
At the end of each performance there will be a 15 minute post show discussion, which you are welcome to join.
It deals with themes and ideas not often brought centre stage and explores the vulnerability of men today through a complex movement language combining dance theatre and hip-hop
Morning Star
...a profoundly visceral reflection of the damage wrought by suppressed emotions and masculine silence
Siobhan Murphy
I was blown away at how powerful the work is. The spoken word, choreography, and performance are so strong
Emily Winfield, Tavaziva Dance Company
