How boxing inspired a play about men’s mental health

The play follows Liam Casey, who has dedicated much of his life to boxing, from the age of about nine into his 30s.

For Ferris, the story is not only about leaving the ring, but about losing the routine that comes with it.

“The idea of structure and what life is like whenever you lose that structure definitely played on my mind,” he said.

“There are people who work in jobs for 10, 12, 13-odd years and just decide to change industries.

“I think there’s a lot of people who may not know what to do with themselves after.”

Ferris grew up performing in amateur theatre in Belfast and Lisburn before going to drama school in London in 2012.

He said returning home had given him the chance to tell new stories about the place where he grew up.

“I’m a Belfast boy at heart, and it is great to tell stories from the city,” he said.

Ferris said “the boxing community in Belfast is phenomenal” and that it played an important part in shaping the story.