Fighting is the perfect title for a play that encapsulates the unrelenting battle of living with bipolar disorder. A fight against inner turmoil, societal misunderstanding, and the ongoing struggle to simply exist.

In popular culture, bipolar disorder is often reduced to a caricature—wild mood swings, impulsive decisions, and a person teetering on the edge of “crazy.” Fighting at The New Theatre, highlights the complexities of this condition. It’s not just about highs and lows but the navigation of a world that doesn’t always make room for the relentless shifts in thoughts, feelings, and awareness. It’s about the exhaustion of trying to appear “normal” when your mind refuses to stay still.

In the course of a single day, the unnamed protagonist navigates the fluid surges of mild instability, deep depression, and mania. He faces an ongoing battle with himself, constantly grappling with the challenge of confronting his emotions, craving connection, and maintaining some semblance of control over his ever-shifting feelings and perceptions.

Director and playwright Xavier Coy masterfully portrays these swings across the bipolar spectrum through two distinct and powerful internal dialogues. Each reflecting the contrasting, chaotic thoughts and impulses that drive the character’s world.

​Sophie Highmore portrays the struggle for rationality and self-regulation, capturing the internal battle for control and the will to survive. ​David Woodland embodies the darker impulses that fuel self-doubt, destructive behaviour and despair. Highmore radiates a frenetic focus, unable to sit still and full of dogged purpose. Woodland sneers with a knowing grin, his every word laced with biting, cynical observations. Together, they individually control the protagonist’s psyche. 

​James James-Moody expertly navigates this psychological tug-of-war, being both pulled and pushed between these contrasting forces. With remarkable depth and disarming straightforwardness, he grapples with the external mechanics of navigating work, social interactions, and the daily challenge of simply taking care of himself. We palpably feel his exhaustion as mind, mood, and body collide. But we never pity him; instead, his candid vulnerability makes him utterly lovable. It’s a powerful, unwavering performance, overflowing with authenticity. 

Fighting refuses to flinch, confronting the darkness head-on. It never loses its sense of humour, instead skillfully balancing the weight of the subject matter with moments of levity. Some of the funniest moments emerge during interactions with his eccentric, passion-driven elderly Vodafone bosses, as well as random customers, and a disastrous third date (all also played by Highmore and Woodland). Humour, in its rawness, is what makes us human, and these moments brilliantly highlight how, even in our hardest times, there’s always room to find laughter in the absurdity of life.

This powerful fusion of emotional depth and dark comedy creates a compelling experience that hits home while bridging critical gaps in understanding mental illness. It’s a raw plunge into the chaotic tangle where disorder and hope collide and unravel, presenting one of the most authentic portrayals of bipolar disorder I’ve witnessed on stage. It’s no surprise Coy earned the 2022 Silver Gull Play Award.

Fighting makes you laugh, cringe, and feel all at once. It doesn’t preach; instead, it pulls you into the raw and very real complexity of the experience, offering a comprehensive and subtle study that invites you to draw your own conclusions. See it to understand—and perhaps uncover a fragmented part of yourself.

For details see: https://newtheatre.org.au/fighting/