21 Hearts: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke

A compelling true story of the celebration of women’s strength, love and hope in the face of adversity.

Written by Jenny Davis. Directed by Stuart Halusz. Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Rebecca Davis, Michelle Fornasier, Alex Jones, Helen Searle and Alison van Reeken.

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.

Important information

Doors open 30mins hour prior to the performance.
Seating is unreserved on a first come first served basis unless accessibility requirements are advised.
Group bookings of 10+ receive reserved seats.
The performance duration is 115min minutes with no interval.
This event is wheelchair accessible. If you have any questions about access, please get in touch via events@southernforestarts.com.au
The performance is recommended for ages 12 years and older.
Content warning Explosions, war scenes

Expand your experience

On Saturday, 7 June, there are two opportunities to dive deeper into this amazing production:

Acting workshop - 10.30am - 12.30pm (limited to 15 tickets)
Behind the scenes tour - 4.00pm - 5.00pm (limited to 15 tickets)

These tickets must be purchased in advance, no door sales are available due to limited numbers

Date: Saturday, 7 June, 2025

Performance Time: Doors open 6.30pm for a 7:00pm start

Venue: Bridgetown Town Hall

Proudly presented by Southern Forest Arts and The Shire of Bridgetown

21 Hearts Image: Stewart Thorpe Photography