21 HEARTS: Vivian Bulllwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, a THEATRE 180 production
Minerva Theatre
Friday 10 July, two sessions: 11am & 7pm
Written by Jenny Davis
A compelling true story from WWII, honouring the bravery strength, love and hope of Australian Army Nurses
in the face of adversity.
Directed by Stuart Halusz
Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Rebecca Davis, Michelle Fornasier, Alex Jones, Tegan Mulvany and Helen Searle.
Vivian Bullwinkel was one of 65 Australian nurses who boarded the Vyner Brooke in an attempt to flee the Japanese invasion of Singapore in February, 1942. Bombed by Japanese fighter planes and after spending days at sea, she and some other survivors found their way to Radji Beach on Banka Island where they surrendered.
In one of the most atrocious acts of war crimes in our history, 22 nurses were forced to march into the sea where they were callously machine gunned.
The only survivor and witness, Vivian spent the rest of the war in a prison camp before liberation, and her remaining years fighting for recognition of the bravery of her friends and colleagues; their strength and courage in the face of death sustaining her for the rest of her illustrious life.
21 Hearts relays the resilient Aussie humour displayed by the women in the camp and provides a respectful and authentic voice to those who were silenced, remembering them for who they were and not just for what happened to them.
A story of hope, courage, resilience and heart.
Featuring 6 of WA’s most outstanding actors, 21 Hearts is a celebration of the human spirit and an uplifting, inspiring story which reminds us of the great futility of war.
THEATRE 180
THEATRE 180 is a proudly Western Australian company which tours works throughout the state and beyond, sharing heritage stories of Western Australia and our nation’s past to gain an insight into who we are now and our future as a diverse and vibrant multicultural society. In 2023 we were awarded a Western Australian Heritage Award for Contributions by a Community Based Organisation for our work in telling WA stories and in 2024 we were awarded Producer of the Year at the CircuitWest Showcase WA Awards.
THEATRE 180 is committed to regional touring and playing to audiences in Perth’s metro and outer metro venues, as well as activating found spaces and established theatres. We are proud to be part of the Preston Street Arts Collective, helping to revitalise the beautiful Como Theatre as a cultural anchor for the City of South Perth, welcoming audiences from far and wide to experience our CinePlay genre, an ensemble approach incorporating the immediacy of live theatre with the visual impact of cinema, for an immersive and unique live experience. This exciting genre is versatile, agile and adaptable, able to be presented in a pop-up style in venues as diverse as theatres, cinemas, country Town Halls and Recreation Centres.
This world-first genre was created with CinemaStage in 2020 for our award-winning adaptation of A.B. Facey’s A Fortunate Life (by Jenny Davis and Stuart Halusz), which has toured continuously throughout Western Australia and amassed nearly 160 performances so far, including a tour to QLD. We now having 5 plays in repertoire, including SYDNEY II: Lost and Found (by Jenny Davis), The Lighthouse Girl Saga (by Jenny Davis and Hellie Turner), Taking Liberty (by Ingle Knight – a collaboration with WA Museum) and 21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke (by Jenny Davis). The response to this work from around the nation has led to 4 Perth seasons, a WA regional tour and a season at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra in July/August this year. All seasons of 21 Hearts have sold-out in advance.
This year we collaborated with Government House Foundation on our 6th CinePlay production Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun (by Jenny Davis) which had a sold-out season at Government House Ballroom in September and our 7th CinePlay is a collaboration with WA Museum CATALPA: Flight to Freedom (by Jenny Davis) in October/November.
Over the last 6 years, we have also established a loyal following for our choice of gritty, international plays staged at Burt Memorial Hall, with our critically acclaimed productions of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, Joe Penhall’s BLUE/ORANGE and Lauren Gunderson’s I AND YOU, proving a demand for this exciting style of theatre with a strong audience database.
We continue our long history of conducting intergenerational oral history workshops with communities and working closely with Aged Care facilities in creating bespoke cultural events and programs with their residents and families; our award-winning work with dementia patients has been particularly impactful. This oral history work extends to veterans’ organisations such as Legacy WA and Buddy Up Australia.
THEATRE 180’s unique style of writing has been honed over 3 decades, and we are committed to the development of emerging WA writers through our Emerging Writers Program who are able to carry on this important storytelling legacy. Central to our purpose is sharing these stories to all Western Australians; our productions are built to tour, and we believe that geography is no barrier. With our strong audience relationships and large network of venues in outer metro and regional WA, we look towards the next 30 years and the stories they hold.
Tickets: $77 adults, $71.50 Concession, $38.50 Children (12yrs – 17yrs), $66 Group (minimum of 10 tickets), School Booking $25 (Teacher Free). Ticket sales close 1 hour prior to the performance.
This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.
