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WRITTEN BY Sam Ipema DIRECTED BY James Meteyard
I Hate You.
Dear Annie,
"I saw loads of good stuff at Fringe, but "Dear Annie, I Hate You" was utterly exceptional." -Steven Atkinson, Royal Court Theatre (via Twitter)
Bouquets & Brickbats
“More than anything, I'm impressed by Ipema's courage, the way that she has met the daunting experience...turning it into one of the most thought-provoking shows I have seen.”
The Lancet
Sinners
“The best show I've seen at Fringe
since the Golden years.”
“This piece will remain forever.
It's one of the best things I've ever seen.”
The Stage
The Scotsman
"Masterly."
"Slick. Dynamic. Poignant. Funny."
The List
EdFest Mag
Binge Fringe
Theatre and Arts
British Theatre Guide
This show deserves West End, Broadway, and then the silver screen.
Phenomenal.
Daisy Bella
Audience Member
The Story
(Briefly)
At 20 years old, Sam was thriving: Her life was full of friends, fun, and most of all- possibilities. She could be anything she wanted to be. Until a fateful day that a hit in the head and diagnosis changed her life forever: the discovery of an aneurysm ticking away inside her head. Suddenly, Sam's life spun from full of possibilities into a spiral of life-and-death decision-making that left her gasping for air. Trying her hardest to stay afloat above the water and live the life that was supposed to be guaranteed to her, Sam is now telling the tale, and what she's learned, nearly a decade later.
The Award-Winning Edinburgh
Festival Fringe 2025 Team
Writer Sam Ipema
Director James Meteyard
Cast: Eleanor House (as 'Annie') & Sam Ipema (as 'Sam')
Stage & Production Management Beatrice Galloway
Sound Design Dan Balfour
Set & Lighting Design Hugo Dodsworth
Video Design Douglas Coghlan
Movement Director Jade Hackett
Fight & Intimacy Director Robin Hellier
Lead Producer Sarah Chamberlain
Socials & Development Keegan Carr
Production Electrician Marie Colahan
Master Prop Maker Paul Robbens
Scenic Construction Dogfish Studio
Created and Produced by Wild Geese Productions
A BIG THANK YOU TO: Jess Hinds, Lisa Bellomo, & Lee Griffiths for their mentorship; Annabelle Mastin-Lee, Richard Fitzmaurice and Leila Lockley at Mobius PR; Sarah Goddard and everyone at BOLD Theatre; the Eric Liddell Community Centre; and all the wonderful box office, programming, marketing and technical crew at ZOO Venues. Without you, none of this would have been possible.
The Dear Annie, I Hate You Cast & Creative
Reviews from the TV Pilot Script:
"Fleabag...with health issues. This show will undoubtedly be a must-see."
- Stage 32
"We've had a few pieces tackle similar themes, but this show somehow manages to make it feel fresh and personal and engages empathy in very visceral ways. I can't wait to see where this piece goes.”
- Big Break Contest, Semi-Finalist
"It's a safe bet that more than a few of us have found ourselves in this situation: sitting on the concrete, trying to gather the threads of our day after everything's been blown apart. This writer has a gift."
- Shore Script, TV Contest
“The humour never attempts to shy away from or diminish the pain of Sam's ordeal; it's just a natural flow entangled in every absurd moment because sometimes (in fact, often) pain and illness have an inherently absurd quality to it…”
- Diverse Voices
"Anyone who has experienced a monumental life-altering event will know and feel this story."
- Screencraft
