Greater Manchester Fringe will host the premiere of a new play by a Salford graduate.

Dan Lovatt, who studied creative writing at the university, has written his debut play Toxic.

Paired up with Salford-born director Connor Goodwin, the two have created an important piece of theatre exploring men’s mental health and the LGBTQ+ community.

Mr Goodwin, now in Bolton, explained: “The play essentially follows the lives of two men, their recovery and their downward spiral.

“It’s especially relevant post-Covid, with the several lockdowns we’ve had to endure.”

Mr Lovatt, from Stoke, added: “In terms of [the theme of] mental health, I’m in two minds when people say ‘oh, it’s a trending thing right now’, because yes, obviously [but] it’s been an issue throughout society for decades.

“It’s only now where it’s kind of come to the forefront.”

The duo referred to their experiences as men from the north of England, with Salford-born Mr Goodwin saying: “It’s quite popular to just shut up and carry on.”

Mr Lovatt continued: “We both come from areas where, kind of conventional performances of masculinity is the norm.”

Copyright: @toxic_play_mcr

Tickets are £8 and are selling out fast, so click here to secure yours.

To listen to the full audio interview, see below.

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