Alex Gwyther’s Ripped
Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh)
1st – 25th August (not 12th)
13.00. (60 mins)
Book Tickets
Acclaimed writer and actor Alex Gwyther (Our Friends, The Enemy; Eyes Closed, Ears Covered) will perform in the world première of his gripping and tender new play Ripped at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, playing Underbelly, Cowgate, (venue 61) from 1-25 August (excl. 12) at 13:00.
Masking his trauma, Ripped’s protagonist Jack steps into the absurd world of modern masculinity and reinvents himself as a “real man”. This is his explosive story. How far will Jack go to fit in, whilst hoping his past never catches up with him? Ripped exposes this national crisis and the pressures put on young men to live up to outdated ideals.
Approximately 12,000 men are raped every year. These are only the reported cases as 96% of all male rape incidents go unreported, including Jack’s trauma, which serves as a catalyst for him to question his own masculinity, forcing him to reinvent himself in a way that society deems “normal”. It is a misguided, and at times comical, journey which shines a light on the thousands of paths today’s young men embark on to feel like a “man”.
Alex Gwyther, writer and performer, said: “We need to see honest portrayals of men to show they aren’t invincible and that partaking in any kind of harmful behaviour to conform with society is damaging. The journey of Jack highlights the need for men to talk more and for us to break outdated gender stereotypes.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.”
Ripped is directed by Max Lindsay (Angry, Mother of Him) and produced by Robin Rayner (Timmy, Fabric, Iconic: A Brief History of Drag, Foiled).
