A BOLTON playwright is sharing his story of coping with mental health in a one-man play.

Josh Coates is putting on his first play in his home town as part of the Octagon Theatre's Reveal season.

The 24-year-old from Egerton will be performing Get Yourself Together in the theatre tomorrow tonight (Friday).

Charting his battle with depression and the stigma of mental health, the show has already toured in Manchester, Hull, Newcastle upon-Tyne and Plymouth.

Josh said: "I'm genuinely so excited, it's surreal. While I've performed at the Royal Exchange and the Hammersmith in London, coming to Bolton and performing in front of people I know or I have passed on the street legitimises it all.

"I always used to joke that I was a Bolton lad who never performed there and it broke my heart, I'll have to drop that joke now.

"This is the place I grew up and to be able to be part of its theatre and perform is an emotional moment for me."

Josh grew up in Egerton before going on to study at the University of Lancaster.

However, at Christmas 2014 he was diagnosed with depression and then was hit by a car, and the following year found himself on Job Seekers.

Now a support artist at the Royal Exchange, he has toured previously with another play, Particles, and decided to share his experiences to explore 'the thin line between mental health as a clinical and a political issue' for his next production.

"It's incredibly exposing at times being up on stage by yourself but it isn't about being dramatic, it's about being open and sharing," he added.

"There has been a really, really good reaction to it with people coming up to me, sending emails and messages about their own experiences with mental health."

Get Yourself Together, directed by Anna Ryder, starts at 7.30pm.