'Ready or Not' - Survival and healing.

Bridges Health and Community Care continues to extend its arts-led wellbeing strategy through powerful initiatives like supporting the touring show Ready or Not, which is more than just a performance—it's an emotional and deeply personal exploration of survival, trauma, and resilience.

Part of the DARTS interregional touring program, Ready or Not embodies the therapeutic and transformative potential of theatre to shed light on complex social issues, aligning with Bridges’ mission to use the arts as a tool for healing and community engagement.

‘Ready or Not’, the debut solo work of Gold Coast theatre maker Ainslee Palmer, invites audiences into the vivid and confronting world of childhood games, interwoven with darker memories. As the show unravels, we journey with ‘Darling,’ a woman whose innocence was stolen at a young age, back to the nostalgic yet tumultuous days of 1999. Set to a soundtrack of Destiny’s Child and anchored in childhood favourites like fairy bread and musical chairs, the show is a rollercoaster of emotions, combining humour, heartbreak, and an exploration of trauma.

The narrative flips between past and present, inviting the audience to witness how Darling’s joyful games of musical chairs give way to a voiceless struggle for survival. Palmer’s performance, supported by the artistic direction of Lisa Smith and a brilliant creative team, taps into how games can become metaphors for the emotional battles we face in life. Ainslee’s words sum up this journey:

Ainslee said: "Ready or Not came out of the question ‘How do we find light in the darkness?’ For me, that was through games. I made up a game to escape situations that felt unliveable, and I thought to myself, ‘Surely other people have done that too?’

Through many hours of conversation and replaying games from childhood, I discovered this is how we survived and thrived, and now how we can talk about the hard moments. I hope Ready or Not is an entertaining journey to a deeper conversation around inter-family violence and how we cannot feel ‘too much’ in our story.”

By supporting shows like Ready or Not, Bridges Health and Community Care furthers its commitment to using arts as a way to open up conversations around mental health, trauma, and resilience. Arts-led wellbeing strategies—such as fostering touring performances that shine a spotlight on difficult topics—create safe, creative spaces where people can begin to heal. Theatre, as seen in Ready or Not, allows audiences to confront challenging social issues while providing a means to process, reflect, and feel connected to a broader narrative of survival and strength.

‘Ready or Not’ is much more than an entertaining show—it is a lifeline to those who may be struggling to find their voice, bringing communities together through shared stories of survival. This touring production, championed by JUTE Theatre Company’s DARTS initiative, is part of a broader movement supported by Arts Queensland, QPAC, and the Queensland Government, to make quality theatre accessible across the state. Each performance is a step towards realising Bridges' vision of a thriving community, where the arts play a pivotal role in emotional and social wellbeing.

For audiences, Ready or Not will leave a lasting impact. It’s an invitation to rediscover the light amidst the darkness and a reminder that the games we play, the stories we share, and the art we create can guide us through even the most challenging moments.

Don’t miss your chance to experience Ready or Not in Bundaberg! Join us on the 22nd or 23rd of November from 7 to 8 pm at St Luke's Performing Centre, 4 Mezger Street, Bundaberg, for an unforgettable night of powerful theatre that will leave you reflecting long after the final curtain falls. Secure your tickets today through Humanitix by following this link: Ready or Not by White Rabbit Theatre - Humanitix.

Be a part of this extraordinary journey, where stories of survival, resilience, and light take centre stage.