REVIEW: DIAGNOSIS by Athena Stevens at Finborough Theatre 13 May – 7 June 2025

‘smart, classy thriller which is eminently watchable’ ★★★★

A London police station, late at night. ‘A vulnerable woman with a disability is brought in.’  This telling line from the advertising blurb for the premiere of Athena Stevens thriller, immediately establishes a threat.   It sets the woman apart for special treatment but is that going to be appropriate or not?

Set in an interview room, the woman, played by Stevens herself, has been brought in for assault.  As a woman with a disability, therefore ‘vulnerable’, there are rules which specify that she must be videoed, and a supervision panel must be present (albeit behind a glass wall, she knows that they are there).  Sounds intimidating, doesn’t it?  Yet the character, has caused the commotion because she’s seen a crime. Furthermore, she has also been reporting a suspicion of an impending disaster.   The officers are not listening to her, and she’s understandably frustrated at being ignored.   Is she crazy or is she justifiably outraged?

The surveillance is set up nicely. As audiences enter into the interview room, they see themselves projected on the back wall with a camera on a tripod below. Once the play begins the video refocuses to show the woman being interviewed and the audience become the panel. Whilst we are probably unaware of that idea, it is an expression of just how clever this play really is.

DCI Michael Turvy is played by  Ché Walker to perfection, professional, polite and firm. Walker is also the director and whereas that dual role is often a risk, nothing is lost in this taut production. It’s smart, classy and has a certain charm thanks to actor Athena Stevens who is eminently watchable. 

As an actress with a disability, Stevens, is perfect to take centre stage of her own writing. This feels very personal and completely authentic. She annunciates the most important information with precision, but nevertheless audiences must take the trouble to lean in to catch every word. It doesn’t matter if anything is missed because the blanks are filled in as the show progresses making it edge of the seat stuff for those of us who like to use our brains.

It’s all enhanced by brilliant videography (Lev Govorovsky and Rio Redwood-Sawyerr), sound (Julian Starr) and lighting (Mark Dymock).  The visuals are so beautiful.

And as for that title ‘Diagnosis’, there does seem to be one repeated a few times in voice over (part of the overall sound giving it an ethereal quality) which suggests that it is what brought our protagonist to be in this position of ‘vulnerability’ and is perhaps a reminder to us all that ‘there but for the grace of God’ … but this particular soul reaches out to help other people with passion and determination, a lesson to us all. The show is over very quickly running at just under 60 minutes (on the night I was there). It’s a little nugget of gold.

DIAGNOSIS by Athena Stevens at Finborough Theatre 13 May – 7 June 2025

BOX OFFICE https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/diagnosis/

Director

Ché Walker

Videography

Lev Govoravski

Rio Redwood-Sawyerr

Designer

Juliette Demoulin

Lighting Designer

Mark Dymock

Composer and Sound Designer

Julian Starr

Associate Director

Jillian Feuerstein

Producer

Presented by Sarah Lawrie for Aegis Productions in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre.

Cast

Athena Stevens

Ché Walker

Ted Walliker