Reviewed by Giada at London's Riverside Studios
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Outside the theatre, I saw David. And instead of pitching him my revolutionary new play, I gave him a shy smile and walked away. It took me only a few steps to realise that I’ve not learned a thing from Dear Annie, have I? Tbh, trying to learn from other people’s misfortunes sounds almost illegal. And it’s not like I haven’t crossed paths with Dave before. I’m sure it will happen again.
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| Sam Ipema and Eleanor House in Dear Annie I Hate You. Photo by Charlie Flint |
And that, right there, is one of the biggest illusions stopping us from truly living: the idea of having time. Sam (Samantha Ipema) probably gets what I am saying. Or at least she did, before her diagnosis. But Annie (Eleanor House) – her aneurysm – doesn’t.
Following a soccer injury, something strange showed up in her head scan. As the doctor says, she is one of the lucky ones. Aneurysms affect only 0.04 to 3.6% of the global population, yet most people live unaware until, suddenly, they die. And in the whirlwind of being twenty, with life just beginning, Sam must choose between a life-threatening surgery and a life-threatening condition. That aneurysm, a ticking bomb in her head, might never explode. Or it could go off right now. Or now. Or…
Dear Annie, I Hate You is brilliantly conceived and written, with passion flowing through every word. Samantha Ipema delivers a magnetic performance. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She brings fierce physicality, gruff humour, and a raw emotional honesty that grounds the whole piece. The same goes for Eleanor House, whose explosive energy and bold, daring presence spark a crackling chemistry with Ipema.
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| Sam Ipema and Eleanor House in Dear Annie I Hate You. Photo by Charlie Flint. |
The multimedia approach is stylish and crunchy – visually and metaphorically rich. It stretches the emotional range far beyond what traditional monologues allow. James Meteyard’s direction leaves a strong artistic imprint on every scene.
If anything, the play could benefit from a slight trim, particularly during Sam’s chaotic spiral through parties and emotional avoidance. The aim, I think, is to reflect her internal mess but at times, the narrative feels repetitive, and the sound design a bit overwhelming.
Still, this minor issue is offset by a fascinating insight into the medical realities and emotional weight of recovery. The play leaves you wanting more, especially after the final, devastating diagnosis. We see little of its impact on Sam’s life, which is a deliberate and sensitive choice. It refuses to exploit suffering. Instead, it leaves us with a quiet truth: sometimes, it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other.
Dear Annie, I hate you delivers a cathartic experience. It reminds us that we are good at taking life for granted. That every day is a chance to continue the work we started, or begin again. That our bodies are (im)perfect machines. And our ‘souls’ are just bundles of neurons that, somehow, keep making the right connections.
So hey Dave, if you are reading this, it’s not too late ;)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dear Annie, I Hate You plays at Riverside Studios in London until Sunday 1st June 2025. Tickets are available from https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/dear-annie-i-hate-you-156247/
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| Sam Ipema and Eleanor House in Dear Annie I Hate You. Photo by Charlie Flint |
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