Dear Annie, I Hate You at Riverside Studios Review

Sam Ipema and Eleanor House in Dear Annie I Hate You. Photo by Charlie Flint

Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

Please be advised this show contains intense flashing lights, strobe, very loud and sudden noises, haze, swearing, graphic content - scenes of a medical nature, scenes depicting blood and scenes depicting violence

---

Dear Annie, I Hate You is not your ordinary tale of a football-mad twenty-year-old college student. She has a loving family, supportive parents, and an adopted brother who is the Robin to her Batman, so it seems her future is bright. Then, creator and actor Sam Ipema’s one-woman play and life are crashed by the most unwelcome second figure, her aneurysm, “Annie.”

Annie is no benign presence. Sinister, ever-present, and metaphorically and literally a ticking time bomb, she disrupts every aspect of Ipema’s life. Played with wit and precision by Eleanor House, Annie becomes a darkly comic yet terrifying spectre, embodying the fear and uncertainty that come with living under the shadow of a life-threatening condition. It is understandable that to process this change, Ipema imagines her as an angry Scot who is delighting in chaos as a way to understand and process this ordeal. This is also a powerhouse of metaphorical and emotional connection so that we as an audience can truly understand the pain and resolve Ipema goes through.

James Meteyard’s direction is astutely focused, guiding the audience not just through Ipema’s personal story but also offering an educational lens on aneurysms and brain surgery. We see her life unfold, and unfortunately, Ipema does not have supportive friends or kind romantic interests. There is huge pathos in how these superficial friendships failed to support her well-being or show basic human compassion to her. She does, however, have a brilliant brother who motivates her and empowers her through his belief in her superhero strength to go through with the surgery and fight for her health and future.

Hugo Dodsworth and Dan Belfour have worked together with videographers Douglas Coghlan and Dan Light to make a truly spectacular multimedia set. Through the use of tube TV’s, we see the interactions of Ipema’s friends and family with the different issues and elements of her journey with Annie. There are also many educational points about the brain explained clearly throughout, and this greatly adds to the gravitas and interest of this play. Fair warning, Ipema uses the videography of her actual brain surgery to remove Annie in this play, and it is not the easiest of watches If you are squeamish. However you are warned ahead of time before this section begins and you have the option of leaving at that point and returning afterwards if it is too much for you.

It would be very easy for this show to fall into inspirational triviality or excessively bleak trauma. However this show subverts those pitfalls to become a truly magnificent triumph of theatre. With resolute strength of will, astounding courage and unflinching resilience, Ipema retells her tale with beautifully unvarnished honesty. However, the end of the play does not end with her miraculously recovering after surgery and living the perfect life. Her recovery is brutal, agonising and messy. It’s visible toll on her body and soul is difficult to watch, but an extremely important element of the conversation. This opening up of transparent dialogue around supporting the aftermath of major surgery truly elevates the play and grounds it in the reality that Ipema lives in daily.

At 75 minutes running time, this play is the perfect length to explore this topic in nuance and detail without going into any dragging of time by over explaining details and has the audience hooked on the edge of our seat throughout actively rooting for Ipema to beat Annie to a pulp (Robin Hellier) and win.

Dear Annie, I Hate You is a shining gem of modern theatre. It’s a tale of unvarnished honesty, powerful strength in difficulty and a love letter to the human capacity to survive, speak out, and carry on. It is a remarkable play that explores mortality, dreams of life, and it asks both Ipema and the audience to question what they want with their precious borrowed time on this blue planet. If you are interested in profound plays, beautiful writing and opening up dialogue about important medical topics, then this is the show for you.

Running until 1st June 2025 at Riverside Studios Hammersmith
★★★★★