Oxford-based Hip Hop dance theatre company Body Politic is raising awareness about the UK’s current mental health epidemic in adolescent boys and men through their show Father Figurine at The Hat Factory, Luton on Friday 20th of September as part of their second national tour.

With the current climate of mental health discussion, Father Figurine talks about the fragilities and vulnerabilities in men and young boys. This piece combines poignant spoken word poetry with hip hop dance, to explore the fractured relationship between a father and his son and their inability to healthily deal with a traumatic event.

Credit: Mark Lamb

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?

Figures show that 75% of mental illnesses start before a child reaches their 18th birthday, while 50% of mental health problems in adults begin before the age of 15. Father Figurine combines poignant spoken word poetry with hip hop dance with the drive to bring these figures to light and empower men and boys.

Emma-Jane Greig, the Artistic Director of Body Politic, is looking forward to sharing Father Figurine and engaging in a post-show discussion with a panel of local mental health professionals at The Hat Factory, Luton on Friday 20th of September at 19.30.

Credit: Mark Lamb

She said: “I feel very honored to be touring Father Figurine for the second time this year. Earlier this year, this powerful piece of work was described as “meaningful” and “important” by health care professionals and audience members. I am really looking forward to continuing conversations around men’s mental health this Autumn, and using our work as a catalyst for change.”