With a dreamy boyfriend, a cracking best pal and some popping dance moves, Melissa is ready to embark on adult life, whilst retaining her quirky, childlike enthusiasm. However, what happens when a certain smell in the nether regions puts a halt to all of that? This fast-paced three-hander explores a young woman’s suppressed distress at her cervical cancer diagnosis, as she plasters over it with all the fervour and glitter she can muster. Despite her high energy and quirky characterisation, the protagonist is difficult to engage with; certain sections seemed overacted while vulnerable moments were under-explored, meaning the piece sustained a similar emotional level throughout. The narrative skimmed the surface of her experiences as a cancer patient, albeit in a comical way, with confetti and cancer certainly making a tragic yet endearing pair.

Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Ella Dorman-Gajic]