Initiative helps men to open up

With backing from Wiltshire Health Promotion Service and using funding from the Arts Council, drama staff and pupils formed the school Theatre and Education Company and commissioned published playwright Chris Owen to write them a play tackling some of the issues that lead men aged 16-24 to take their own life.

Three professional actors performed Bridges to a group of Year 11 students at St Laurence on Tuesday, followed by a workshop with pupils getting them to discuss some of the issues teenagers normally find it hard to talk about.

John O'Brien, community theatre director at St Laurence, said: "We want to get men to articulate their feelings in workshops after the play and at least go away and think about some of the things that come up.

"We have worked on looking at issues faced by teenagers, like bullying, in the past but when we talked about what issues we wanted to look at next, suicide in young men came clearly top.

"The statistics are staggering for every young woman in the 16-24 age group four men will commit suicide."

The play focuses on how young men can let macho stereotypes get in the way of expressing their feelings, encouraging them to open up more.

It also gives students an insight into what some of the key signs they might spot in a fellow pupil contemplating suicide would be, so they can look out for their friends.

Mr O'Brien said: "While it is aimed at young men, we have also found the play helps girls understand the way blokes think a bit more which is as important."

The Bridges team will tour schools all over Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol in the next four weeks.

Last week, pupils at Clarendon School, Trow-bridge, took part in the workshops and each student was given an information pack with details of helplines and websites.

The play will be performed for parents, pupils and friends of St Laurence School on Thursday, in Trinity Hall, starting at 7.30pm.