Writer: Mo Maka
Director: Eden Igwe
Written by Mo Maka, an NHS junior doctor, Do Not Attempt This Conversation is a medical ethics drama set late in the day at a hospital where a beleaguered female doctor has to tell the granddaughter of a patient that they are issuing a Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) notice on him due to his general underlying health problems that mean any attempt to keep the patient alive would merely be a short and painful postponement of the inevitable.
After a scene setting opener to establish that Dr Nneka, played by Maka, is having a stressful day and can find no help within the hospital on whether to issue the notice or how to handle the conversation, Stephanie, the granddaughter of the patient, played by AJ Samuel enters for a meeting with Dr Nneka unaware that a decision has already been taken and her opposition to it will hold no weight.
As the harsh medical realities of the Doctor’s world come up against the understandable emotional response of a relative reluctant to accept the truth, it feels as if the two are merely trading opinion rather than engaging in any meaningful discussion.
Under Eden Igwe’s direction neither actor gets much room for manoeuvre from their opening positions as Samuel is immediately on the defensive as Stephanie while Maka plays Nneka as someone who will broker no argument with medical facts even before she is challenged by Stephanie.
A twist that arrives late on means that the characters alter their positions and a more discursive conversation emerges. While it is good that this shift comes, it does so at the expense of the strong distinctive characters that have been established both surrendering their previous positions too quickly for it to be convincing.
The play highlights the issues involved with DNARs and makes a lot of relevant observations on both sides of the argument. However, a more nuanced approach could be taken to both of the characters and their conversation to create a play where the conclusion prompts discussions that continue after the curtain comes down.
Runs until 29 August 2026 | Image: Contributed
The Reviews Hub Star Rating
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6
