Josie Walsh’s Red Ticket is the debut show of the Blue Room Theatre’s 2026 season, and it’s a multifaceted play that explores how our attitudes to mental health have changed over time, and how we still need to learn how to have those life-changing conversations.
New mum Lily (Krysia Wiechecki) is struggling to adjust to life with a newborn child. We are quickly taken on a journey into Lily’s darkest thoughts, worries and fears.
Lily, an artist, has returned to work on a new painting at the Fremantle Arts Centre and learns that the centre had a previous life as a “lunatic asylum” at the beginning of the 20th century. She discovers the case of Poppy Florence Grey (Kate Naunton Morgan), a woman who was confined to the facility after struggling with her mental health in the wake of the birth of her child.
From here, the story explores this important subject by juxtaposing the experiences of the two women a century apart. At first, Poppy’s world is presented through shadow play, but gradually the worlds of past and present combine.
At times, Walsh’s script leans into long monologues that deliver the two women’s troubling thoughts, though the technique is also used to convey historical information about Poppy’s time in an institution. Impressively, the staging combines an emotional soundscape, movement, and bold red and white lighting to tell the story.
Providing moments of lightness and comedy in this dark tale is Hannah-Mary Anderson as Arts Centre administrator Janice. She’s one of those people who says all the right things, but perhaps never truly listens to what others are saying.
Walsh’s script and direction create a story that slowly builds, taking us on a journey into confusion and darkness. It’s poetic and tinged with a gothic sensibility. The story arrives at a conclusion that is rewarding, while also encouraging reflection on the topic at hand.
The show’s opening night drew an impressive list of local identities. Arts Minister Simone McGurk was in attendance, along with casting director Annie Murtaugh-Monks, writer Chris Isaacs, publishing figure Terri-ann White, and photographer and arts worker Sophie Minissale.
Red Ticket is playing at The Blue Room Theatre until 18 April. Tickets are on sale now.
