Fresh from graduating from Curtin University’s Theatre Arts program, Josie Walsh has made her emergence on the Western Australian theatre scene known with her production Red Ticket. She makes her directorial and writing debut with this show, which unearths Fremantle Arts Centre’s dark past as a former “Lunatic Asylum”. The show follows a new mother who turns to the Fremantle Arts Centre for a sense of solace and to find herself again, yet uncovers the records of a woman who had been confined to the asylum a century prior. Josie is about to see the show into its third run, this time at The Blue Room Theatre. I spoke with her to hear more about her journey as an emerging artist and the evolution of this work.
Hi Josie, thanks for speaking to Magazine 6000! Red Ticket is well and truly your brainchild, being both its writer and director. The show explores Fremantle’s past, specifically the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum. Tell us how the idea for this piece came to life.
The idea first came out as part of a project for university. We had to research the history of Fremantle, which is how I learned about the extraordinary history of The Walyalup / Fremantle Arts Centre, and how it was originally used as a lunatic asylum. The stories I researched moved and outraged me, and I felt a deep responsibility to tell them.The third most common reason women were institutionalised was for puerperal insanity, now known as postpartum depression.The stories about these women sparked the idea for Red Ticket, and the more I researched, the more the story took shape.
When you were writing the show, did you envision yourself as the director? How did you decide to step into those shoes?
I did envision myself as the director. This story is extremely close to my heart and I felt a strong responsibility to make sure the performances were authentic and respectful. Red Ticket explores a condition called post-partum psychosis. This topic resonated with me on a personal level, as two of my family members have experienced psychosis, and spent time in psychiatric wards. My passion for this subject stems from these personal connections, giving me a unique understanding and sensitivity toward these issues. Through Red Ticket, I aim to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness, which I’ve both felt and witnessed firsthand.
Josie Walsh. Photography by Dakota Hartig.
Once you start directing, I’m interested to know whether certain elements of the show changed or played out differently compared to how you imagined them when writing the piece.
I think directing (and writing) feels a lot like putting together a puzzle. It can be challenging, but also very rewarding when you find the right piece that fits and it all starts to flow. The actors all bring their own take to the characters, making them their own, and in doing so make the characters even more compelling than how I imagined them when I wrote them.
The previous developments created the bones Red Ticket, which we have now developed even further with the support of my wonderful cast, incredible assistant director and choreographer Isla Simeoni and mentor / dramaturg Vivienne Glance. As Vivienne said to me “All the answers are in the script”. I think certain themes in the script became more obvious through rehearsals, which I originally wasn’t aware of when I was writing the play. An example of this is the theme of shame, and the similarities and differences in how this emotion shows up in the two women’s lives. Both women struggle with the shame from their post-natal mental health conditions, not feeling like they can fulfil their role of being a mother. However, the external pressures from the society they live in are different which in turn leads to the shame manifesting differently.
In the first stage development of the piece, a lot changed in rehearsals from what I originally wrote. My cast and I visited the Fremantle Arts Centre for our own excursion and, during our visit, were followed by a curious group of magpies. Katelyn, who played Poppy, suggested incorporating magpies into the play as a motif, which I then added to the script. Another actor, Poppy, came up with the idea of using chalk to outline the cell in which the character was confined. Some of my favourite parts of the play came directly from these collaborative moments.
You’re about to enter the show’s third iteration at The Blue Room Theatre. There’s clearly strong interest and demand for the show. What do you think is hooking audiences?
Red Ticket is a gothic psychological thriller that promises to be an emotional rollercoaster through time which ultimately lands in a good place. The show shines a light on the unsettling history of The Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, now the beloved Walyalup / Fremantle Arts Centre and tells the unheard perspective of one of the women locked up in the asylum. It is just about empathy as it is about ghosts, as Red Ticket honours the stories of women ignored in the past and explores the connection of two women, a century apart, as they both struggle with the same condition.
Photography by Dakota Hartig.
Casting is an important point for you. What shapes your needs and wants in a cast?
The dedication and passion from the cast has been vital for this show. Not just showcasing a ghost haunting another but exploring their shared connection, one filled with empathy and understanding. Holding onto the importance of honouring the women they are portraying by showcasing authentic performances, especially because the topic is a sensitive one for many. This story is really important to all of us, and that shines through in the cast’s phenomenal performances. The lived experience of the women in the cast is definitely a plus, with two of the three women in the cast working in mental health and the main actress Krysia Wiechecki being a mum herself. This lived experience shines through their performances and I believe makes the characters even more believable. An emotional range is definitely a need in this show, however I think it’s been important to still have lots of fun during rehearsal despite looking into a serious topic and having the ability to let go of the character’s emotions when you’re not performing. I think having an open, relaxing environment helps with this.
You graduated from Curtin University’s Theatre Arts program last year. How did your studies in that program shape the artist you are today?
Curtin has a great theatre program that gives its students so many opportunities to try different roles within the theatre world. You have opportunities to dip your feet into several roles including acting, directing, stage managing and designing. It prioritises hands-on learning which I believe really helps emerging artists like myself gain the confidence to find their voice and create new works. Having the background and skills as an actor while also understanding design makes me a better director as it shapes my vision and communication skills and gives you a range of different exercises to create and develop characters. Curtin’s student run shows allows you to connect with theatre makers from all year groups which in turn creates a supportive collaborative community, who are always willing to lend a hand. It also allows for a range of diverse viewpoints and ideas. All of this together has allowed me to grow as an artist, and given me a beautiful community to create art with!
Where would you like to take Red Ticket next? Will it have a fourth iteration after this season?
I would love to perform Red Ticket in Fremantle, preferably at the Walyalup / Fremantle Art Centre, as the show is inspired by the building’s history. We will have to wait and see whether a fourth iteration is in the works or not, but I am definitely not opposed to the idea.
Red Ticket, Presented by All Bite No Bark Curation, is on at The Blue Room Theatre from April 7-18.