Review: WASPS, Oran Mor

Wasps is a new coming-of-age drama written by Cameron Forbes directed by Lesley Hart and starring Yolanda Mitchell. 

Rianne is a bright teenager except for when it comes to maths and as a result, she's in the bottom set. The plus side of this is her crush is in the same class. She tries to navigate the normal teenage emotions and difficulties in friendship while also dealing with a phobia of wasps. 

Yolanda Mitchell is exceptional in the role of Rianne. The first half of Wasps has a lot of brilliant comedic moments and lines that will transport you back to your school days. Forbes' writing is observational and witty. The second half of the play deals with loss and grief as Rianne receives some earth-shattering news.

There's a lot to unpack in this fifty-minute monologue as we are taken through a rollercoaster of emotions. Mitchell also switches between other characters such as her mother and self-obsessed Best Friend seamlessly. While Rianne is going through all these big devastating life changes, her school life remains the same. 

Wasps is a brilliant and devastating piece of new writing with a star turn from Yolanda Mitchell. 

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