Trigger warnings apply to writer-performer Sam Ipema's show about her own life so far. So, it’s probably best to know before buying a ticket that the Annie of the title isn’t a person, but rather a brain aneurysm, played by Eleanor House, in this two-hander from director James Meteyard. Ipema was a keen student and amateur footballer when she got her diagnosis, with this well-produced, visually imaginative show depicting her anxieties over what her condition might entail. So yes, be warned there’s some distressing content, thematically and physically: there’s footage of brain surgery which is hard to watch. But Ipema provides a clear-eyed view of what it’s like to get some seriously bad news at a young age, and what the route back from that agonising point might look like.

Having her aneurysm played by House, constantly interrupting and deflating her monologues to comic effect, is a smart way of dramatising an internal drama, but there’s also good use of video screens to reflect her parents’ concerns, and some agreeable audience interaction. This feels like a cathartic piece, and those willing to get in touch with dark but palpably real emotions will find this show is for the lovers of life, and not the haters.

Dear Annie, I Hate You, Zoo Playground, until 25 August, 4.50pm; main picture: Alex Brenner.