The Wasp review – tormented reunion with school bully lacks sting

Southwark Playhouse, London
Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s revenge drama has plenty of rug-pulling twists, but stilted presentation leaves little sense of jeopardy

As a revenge fantasy between a former school bully and her victim, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s 2015 drama sits squarely at the baroque end of the spectrum. Heather (Cassandra Hercules) was targeted by Carla (Serin Ibrahim), a former friend turned class-room oppressor whose campaign culminated in a shocking incident of abuse.

Several decades on, they meet, ostensibly to make amends, but Heather has a dark ulterior motive. It is clear the tables have turned in the interim: Carla is now the one oppressed by life, barely making ends meet, fielding a fifth pregnancy without any feeling of joy and in an unhappy partnership. Heather, by contrast, is a rich professional who fires sly broadsides at Carla, letting her know who came out on top.