Latest news with #TheWasp
Belfast Telegraph
08-05-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Seven drinks you probably haven't tried ahead of World Cocktail Day
You probably won't be familiar with a newspaper snappily entitled The Balance and Columbian Repository. It appeared briefly in upstate New York from 1801 until 1807, and although it covered everything from politics to agriculture, the issue of May 13, 1806, gives an obvious clue as to why the paper didn't last long. The only item on the front page was a lengthy poem called 'The Wasp'. However, tucked away on the inside pages of that same edition was an article that ensured The Balance and Columbian Repository would never be totally forgotten. In a piece written by editor Harry Croswell, under the headline 'What is a Cocktail?', the drink was defined in print for the very first time.
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
MOVIE REVIEW: Did we get stung watching thriller 'The Wasp?'
Electric leading duo but tight tale better suited to its stage origins. It was no surprise to discover that The Wasp began life on the stage. With a predominately single setting and two-hander cast, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm adapts the script from her own 2015 play. Spaniard Guillem Morales ( Julia's Eyes, TV's The Miniaturist) directs and Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer star as Heather and Carla respectively. The pair haven't spoken in years until Heather presents an unexpected proposition to Carla that could change their lives forever. I can't really say much else about the story as it would spoil the twists and turns these two women endure during their many meetings. Heather and Carla live very different lives and the British actresses do a grand job of emphasising this; Dormer in particular thoroughly convinces as a down-on-her-luck, straight-talking, working class mum. The film only truly comes to life when they share a screen as secrets get exposed and selfish natures abound. Morales keeps his camera on both leading ladies throughout several monologues but there's only so much the helmer can do with so few locations and additional characters. Flashbacks to Heather and Carla's youth fills in the time - and storyline blanks - but chat about insects felt forced and dull to listen to, only lending credence to the movie's title and hinting at Heather's motivations. Dominic Allburn's Simon is little more than a cypher of disinterested lethargy acting as a chess piece being moved around by both women in attempts to one-up each other. A nasty revelation helps justify Heather's plan, which initially seems slightly disproportionate and out-of-character. And I enjoyed how Morales' flick came to a close. It's clichéd to say it ends with a sting in the tale but it's true. The Wasp may be better suited to its stage origins, however, thanks to surprise story beats and electric face-offs between Harris and Dormer, you won't need bug spray to fend off this taut thriller. ● Are you a fan of films with small casts and minimal locations? If so, which are your favourites? ● The Wasp is available now on Sky Cinema. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
