A&E is a slice-of-life play about the bottlenecks of a medical system. It starts like an anecdote – a drug addict, a prisoner, and a middle-class woman meet in an emergency room. The waiting time keeps getting longer, the pain keeps getting stronger and the conflict of ideals keeps escalating. The twist? It doesn’t feel like an anecdote to anyone who has been stuck in an A&E for hours.

Maisie Lambert, who plays Evie, the drug addict, is so believable that you can’t quite figure out whether she is really playing a part or just being herself. Every move, every twitch, every face she pulls looks natural and completely in character. She delivers most of the script’s funniest moments.

Ezana Betru as Adam, the prisoner, Trixie Smith as the middle-class woman and Ice Dob as the receptionist are all competent in their portrayals of the stereotypes, but Lambert’s performance is head and shoulders above the rest of the cast.

At times, the genuine excitement of a premiere takes over and pulls the actors out of character. But for a play performed by a young cast, this feels more endearing than distracting.

As the clock keeps ticking, the conflict unfolds through sharp, polarising dialogue. You feel restless and irritated by the waiting time alongside the main characters.

A&E is a snapshot of a social problem that deserves its own book. It spotlights the two sides of the same coin – people who abuse the system and people who struggle to access it. The fact that the doctor never actually shows up on stage is a fine detail that speaks for itself.

It might be tempting to label A&E as a left-wing manifesto, although, at a closer look, it appeals to anyone who can see the imperfections of the system. Your interpretation may vary significantly depending on your own political views.

In fact, if you are not entirely sure what your political views are, ask yourself one question after watching the play – ‘Who is the real abuser of the system in this story?’

Orla Wyatt’s debut is a young, direct piece with a clear social message. It will appeal to anyone remotely impatient, remotely entitled, and remotely interested in politics.

A&E is at Various Venues at theSpace until Sat 22 Aug 2026