RIPPED Comes to Edinburgh Fringe

Alex Gwyther, in collaboration with Survivors Manchester, thrusts male trauma, male rape and modern masculinity into the spotlight in Ripped at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Writer and actor Alex Gwyther, working in collaboration with the voluntary organisation Survivors Manchester, will be thrusting male trauma and modern masculinity into the spotlight in his new play Ripped at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. When Alex began devising the one-man play he wanted his portrayal to be as honest, accurate and respectful as possible. He approached Survivors Manchester, who were keen to work in collaboration to ensure its authenticity and relevance. The resulting play, Ripped, premières at Underbelly, Cowgate, from 1-25 August.

Alex Gwyther said: "I was fortunate enough to consult Duncan Craig, the CEO of Survivors Manchester, a survivor-led/survivor-run voluntary organisation that aims to create and facilitate a safe space for male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. He confirmed statistics and provided me with a wealth of knowledge and understanding which was incredibly useful for Ripped, particularly the more harrowing scenes."

The following statistics particularly stood out for Alex:

• Approximately 12,000 men are raped every year. These are only the reported cases as 96% of all male rape incidents go unreported*.
• 1 in 6 men have been sexually assaulted or abused in their life and the vast majority choose not to come forward**.

Ripped focuses on Jack's journey of self-recovery after being raped by a stranger in an unprovoked attack. Blaming himself for the attack, he moves away and transforms himself into what he believes is a 'real man'. The play follows his journey to fit in with a new crowd of friends, whilst desperately trying to keep a lid on his past and hoping no one finds out. It is a story which examines why so many rape cases go unreported, breaks the stigma attached to male rape and explores the pressures put on young men today to conform to outdated ideals of what a man should be.

Alex continued: "As well as working in collaboration with Survivors Manchester, I did a lot of reading on trauma and PTSD, particularly around sexual violence. I read a number of books on masculinity, some comical, some more serious philosophical and psychological. I also read a number of theses on male rape by professors and how this tied in with masculinity. Finally, I spoke to a number of survivors on their insight and personal journeys. The journey of Jack highlights the need for men to talk more and for us to break outdated gender stereotypes. I wanted to explore these themes sensitively and tenderly whilst also using humour when delving into the world of modern masculinity."

Duncan Craig, CEO of Survivors Manchester, who has also advised Coronation Street and Hollyoaks on sensitive plotlines and numerous documentaries and print articles, said: "It has been a real honour to work with Alex on Ripped. The effort he has put in to ensure that the accuracy of experience and impact is present within the piece is an incredibly important anchor point for society's discussion and understanding of male rape. As a sexual abuse survivor myself and someone that has a leadership role in the sexual violence sector, it is vital that we encourage authentic discussions on what is a difficult issue to deal with, sexual violence committed against boys and men; along with how this act impacts on his maleness - What does it mean for a man to be violated, penetrated in this way? How does that act attack the very fabric of his masculinity? How do we help individuals and communities understand the toxicity of gender norms?"

Ripped plays Underbelly Cowgate, 1-25 (exc.12) August 1pm http://www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk.

London previews at The Actors Centre on 22 and 23 July at 8pm: https://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/whats-on/ripped

Survivors Manchester #breakthesilence (National Male Survivor Helpline 0808 800 5005; visit www.malesurvivor.co.uk to find out about local support)

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