‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’ brought back to life for Fringe

‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’, by Hannah Leah Mifsud, premiered at the Gibraltar International Drama Festival a few years ago, and was given a second lease of life at the Magazine Studio theatre in preparation for its run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival next week. 

This is the first time that a Gibraltarian drama company is participating in the prestigious event, and preparations have been afoot for the best part of the summer. 

The four performances at the Magazine Studio were staged as a warm-up for the international leap, seeking local audience feedback on the revamped and re-arranged production that will run at theSpace on the Mile for five days. 

The constraints of the theatre at the Radisson Hotel on Edinburgh’s High Street have been accounted for, with a seating plan that will place the stage amongst the audience. 

‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’ bares the insecure mind of a thirty-something woman dealing with hypochondria, anxiety, pre-wedding cold feet and whirlwind romance while in a demanding job. 

Rose (Tanya Santini) is a sensible and professional clinician stuck in a rut with long-time fiancé Will (Jonathan Teuma), until her therapist (Nyree Turnock) suggests a few tricks to spice up their life. 

A pink adult toy delivered to her surgery is the catalyst for an awkward but casually fateful icebreaker with the new junior doctor, Sam (William Menez), who has just breezed in to report for duty. 

Sam's go-getter attitude shakes Rose’s certainties: she realises she’s just existing as a robot, going through the motions, and not enjoying life anymore. 

A stolen kiss at Sam’s birthday party, giggly advice over coffee with her therapist’s other client (Stefan Garcia), and the emotional toll on her newly diagnosed diabetes patient, Leyla (Anna Recagno), all contribute to Rose’s reckoning in a perhaps predictable, perhaps naive, perhaps hurried, romantic finale for a play designed to entertain while tickling you out of your comfort zone. 

Jonathan Teuma has jumped in at pretty much the last minute as understudy to the original Will, Charlie Bishop, contributing to a new dimension for his dull character: a good, honest man, but too average, too bourgeois, who plays too safe at home and at work.  

When Rose breaks up with him, his only concern is how he’ll ever find another woman to carry his babies, instead of questioning himself about what went wrong in this relationship and if he’d be still in time to patch it up. The audience can be forgiven for not feeling sorry about his exit. 

Tanya makes her co-stars shine in their small but pivotal roles; and when she stares at the audience, well, you’ll start questioning your life choices too! 

The show was preceded by a fundraising feel-good spoken-word soirée at El Kasbah last Friday evening, to help cover travel and accommodation expenses.  Jonathan recited his poetry and haiku, accompanied by sax and cello. 

With scalpels and tongue depressors packed in a suitcase, and emotional baggage to match, Rose and friends are in for an adventure that will promote Gibraltar’s talent at one of the UK’s most popular art jamborees.  

Break a leg! 

Gallery by Juan Carlos Teuma: