Men Of Burnley
In Spring 2025, we commissioned Casson & Friends to spend a week in Burnley, meeting with community groups across the town. They discussed what it means to be a man and how men in Burnley spend their time. From this, Casson & Friends created a 10-minute dance performance, which was shared with an audience of community members who had spoken with the artists. The piece was so well-received that we wanted to create a short film that could live on beyond one night.
Everything you see in the film below came from those initial conversations.
We want this film to be seen as many people as possible and we are looking for partners to help us do this. We can provide you with a tv screen and head sets so that the film can be watched in your venue, with a copy of the film for sharing with community groups (along with a discussion points pack) or if you wish to share on social media, we can also facilitate that. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
The Film is available as one ten minute video directly below, or as three separate parts which you can view individually at the bottom of the page.
A Casson & Friends project
Directed & Choreographed by Tim Casson in collaboration with the Performers
Performed by Deepraj Singh & Matthew Winston
Film & Editing by Alexandra Boanta
Music by Paul Rogerson
Producer (for Burnley Words Festival / Culturapedia) Stephanie Jessop
Producer (for Casson & Friends) Nick Sweeting
Project Administrator (for Casson & Friends) Alice Shepperson
Filmed on Location in Burnley, Lancashire at:
Burnley Mechanics Theatre
The Royal Dyche
Ightenhill Park
Down Town
Fiveways Boxing Academy
With thanks to:
Justine Bedford
Kev at Fiveways Boxing Academy
Nicola Lanarch & Ella Roberts
Seamus Curley & Geoff Soltau
Henry Nazareth-Kay & the Friends of Ightenhill Park
We are incredibly grateful to all of the individuals & community groups who took the time to speak with us and contributed their thoughts, feelings & experience to the project.
Local Organisations
If you are effected by any of the topics in this film these local organisations are here to support you:
Burnley Together – Health & Well-being services & Information
Andys Man Club
Burnley, Burnley Football Club, Turf Moor
Meet Mondays at 7pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
Find out more about the Burnley branch.
Andys Man Club have branches throughout the country, find a local club to you here.
Useful contacts and links
Call 0800 9154640 or text HELLO to 07862 022846 (Mon – Fri 7pm – 11pm, Sat – Sun 12pm – Midnight)
Samaritans – 0330 094 5717
MH Crisis line NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust – 0800 953 0110
Depressed or suicidal helpline – Text 85258 and a trained crisis worker will text you back.
About Casson & Friends
Under the direction of Tim Casson, Casson & Friends are a UK based Record Breaking Dance Theatre Company, creating unique performances that are accessible, interactive and joyful. The company works with a diverse range of collaborators, from filmmakers and musicians to computer programmers and psychologists, but most often collaborates with the public and communities, inviting them to engage with dance in exciting and accessible ways. Find out more about the company and their current projects on their website.
Funded by
Casson & Friends’ original residency was commissioned by Burnley Words Festival using Shared Prosperity Funding administered by Burnley Borough Council, Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service and the UK Government.
Burnley Words Festival is delivered by Culturapedia in partnership with Burnley Leisure & Culture and funded by Arts Council England.