Living with bipolar disorder for 29 years has taught me one thing. Some days, just having a shower counts as winning. Danielle Lim’s The Good Decisions Project gets this truth exactly right.
The show cleverly weaves three separate stories. Each follows characters making choices while facing mental health struggles. Through vulnerability and authenticity, Lim demonstrates a deep understanding of mental health struggles. She portrays them with stunning clarity.
The first storyline unfolds live on stage with raw emotion. The second case plays almost entirely on screen, creating welcome distance. The third mixes media to show how mental states shift without warning. The multimedia approach works well. It gives each narrative its own space (further supported with costume changes) while linking them through shared themes.
What struck me most was the focus on tiny victories. Each character is a case study asked to track “one good decision” daily in a journal. This resonated deeply with me.
Since my diagnosis stabilized in 2001, I’ve learned that mental health isn’t mostly about the dramatic moments. It’s about the small stuff. Getting out of bed. Taking a shower. Choosing to meet a friend when your brain begs to hide. In other words, making a daily good decision. Lim captures this daily grind perfectly.
The warehouse setting adds to the raw feel. Lighting shifts mirror changing mental states. When one character simply manages to leave the house, it feels like a triumph. Because it is. Lim’s performance shows remarkable range. She embodies different struggles without ever falling into cliché.
If you’ve ever counted brushing your teeth as the day’s big win, see this show. If you haven’t, see it anyway. You’ll understand us better. In mental health, good decisions aren’t always big ones. Sometimes they’re just deciding to keep going.
The Good Decisions Project
The Warehouse Theatre, 8 (rear) Unley Road, Unley
Performance: Friday 7 March 2025 – 7.30 pm
Season continues to 15 March 2025
Information and Bookings: www.adelaidefringe.com.au
Image: The Good Decisions Project (supplied)
Review: Daniel G. Taylor