// BBC ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS — MODA & SOCIETÀ
How boxing inspired a play about men's mental health
Ferris said he wanted to explore what happens when someone loses the structure that has defined much of their life
For many athletes, years of training can provide a routine, a purpose and an identity - but what happens when it all stops?
That question is at the heart of a new play which explores men's mental health through the world of boxing.
The Corner Man follows a fighter forced to confront life outside the ring after spending years dedicated to the sport.
Through his story, the play explores losing a sense of purpose, the difficulty some men have talking about their mental health and the support they can find in each other.
Writer and producer Cathal J Ferris said the idea grew from his own experience of boxing and conversations with fighters.
"What is a boxer after he retires really played on my mind," he said, adding that the same questions around identity and purpose can apply beyond sport.
Cathal J Ferris said the play was inspired by his experience of boxing and conversations with fighters
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.