Astride two time periods (modern day and the Victorian era), two women experience Saint Dymphna’s Ward. Justine (Angelina Miller) is falsely held in the abusive Victorian Asylum for the Insane by Dr Ribiere (Kody Mitchell, also playing Margot’s friend Lucas), while Margot (playwright, producer, & director Honoria Lawton Flatters) struggles to accept help in the modern-day Center for Psychiatric Care, including from fellow-patient Oliver (Taylor Fernandez, also playing Justine’s husband and Dr Frederickson) after checking in voluntarily for depression, delusions, and suicidal thoughts.
Highlighting the changes in treatment for mental illness, this play deals in some heavy themes, including sexual and physical abuse, the loss of a child, self-harm and attempted suicide (though these are implied or discussed rather than depicted). It’s an ambitious undertaking, especially for such a young team (the writer/producer/director is currently in high school and part of the story comes from a short story she wrote in elementary school), though the material is clearly heartfelt (lighting and sound are by the writer’s brother William Lawton Flatters, and the production has come from the United States to take part in the Edinburgh Fringe) and a great deal of research has been done, and Angelina Miller in particular does well in the role of Justine with a committed and emotionally portrayal of a woman struggling without help with multiple sources of trauma.
Saint Dymphna’s Ward is running at Pickle Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court until the 8th August. Tickets can be found at: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/saint-dymphna-s-ward
Reviewer: Oliver Giggins
Reviewed: 3rd August 2025
North West End UK Rating: