Winner of an Olivier Award for best play, Joe Penhall’s Blue/Orange challenges the assumptions about ‘normality’ while examining the unspoken politics of institutions.

Set in a consulting room of a London psychiatric hospital, the drama unravels over a day where a young African man is being held for observation and in-patient treatment after performing a lewd act in public.

Just as his 28-day detention period expires, two psychiatrists are at odds with the diagnosis, with the patient becoming the battleground.

Delivering a roller-coaster ride of emotions, Joe Penhall has taken the serious issues of race, mental illness and institutional politics and twisted them with moments of pure comedy, especially when no one is completely right.

Adam Cook’s direction delivers a spirited production allowing his three actors to explore the ever-shifting powerbases and wordplays.

William Zappa as the older consultant psychiatrist is entirely ruthless, while Renato Musolino, as the young intern returns a fine performance. Robert Jordan as Christopher returns to a role he played for the Melbourne Theatre Company in 2002 is entirely believable as someone on the verge of a disorder.

Victoria Lamb's set of exposed brickwork juxtaposed with the central well of glass and metal inspires modern practice versus that of the old days. Mark Pennington’s lighting on a whole is stark, reminiscent of the somewhat sanitized world of the medical profession.

With issues surrounding mental illness in the media on a regular basis, Blue/Orange reminds us that not everything is what it seems on the surface. Scratch it a little and the outcome could be mildly unpleasant.