FROM Blue Heelers to battling the country blues, actor John Wood will travel the Wimmera to encourage rural men to open up.
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Mr Wood stars in Carpe Diem, which will run in Warracknabeal, Horsham and St Arnaud.
The play portrays Australian men dealing with issues of health, grief, loss and depression.
Mr Wood said he was excited to return to Wimmera stages and to share the play’s important message.
“The play encourages men to talk,” he said.
“Men have notorious difficulty talking about their problems – women seem to have no problem discussing troubles but men are absolutely hopeless at times.
“This encourages men to talk about their depression and what’s going on in their lives – it really works we’ve done it in 70 shows now.”
Mr Wood said the issue of mental health and suicide was pervasive.
“The main cause of death for males between 15 and 45 is suicide,” he said.
“This play encourages people to talk rather than top themselves.”
Mr Wood said country men seem to hold tighter to their bravado and unwillingness to talk than their city counterparts.
“Men can have difficulty making that first move, it takes a really long time to get going,” he said.
“Then once their going it can be hard to shut up – but it takes a lot to get that first initial movement happening.
“I think country men have even more difficulty opening up that guys from the city.”
Mr Wood said the play was generally performed to small audiences of 80 people, with supper or a sausage sizzle after.
He said the play has toured across regional Australia.
“The play works,” he said.
“It’s terrific we had several hundred of people come when we toured New England and they filled a questionnaire out afterwards.
“Something like 250 men actually sought counselling because they’d seen the play.”
Mr Wood said although it tackles serious topics, the 45-minute play was very light-hearted and enjoyable.
The free play will be performed at the Wesley Performing Arts Centre on April 5 at 7pm.
Gold coin donations are welcome. The play will run at Warracknabeal Hall on April 3 and St Arnaud Town Hall on April 4.
- Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14