Wilder! | Etcetera Theatre

Wilder! which is written by Dany Van Brabant and Thomas Billiouw, is a dark comedy that brings out the best of farcical Fringe theatre, with a side splittingly funny performance and a book that really kills. Wilder! embraces its wild side and lets loose with a script that is both absurd and yet oddly relatable, which stays ahead of its audience at every turn.

The show follows mysterious couple, Gloria and Gregory Wilder, who have recently moved to Newport, a small and seemly perfect town. Whilst Gloria and Gregory find themselves at odds, as they begin to grow apart as people, they ultimately must rejoin forces to hide their deadly secret and fend off the cult-like Gardening Club members.

The show's greatest strength comes from the quality of its writing and the characters themselves; perfectly balancing the line between satire and being earnest. Brabant and Billiouw have been developing this show since 2022, where it originated as a six minute student piece, and the labour of love and attention to detail has paid off with a show that feels ready to jump onto bigger London stages. Whilst the premise and comedy leans heavily into farce, and the performances are hilarious, the themes of loyalty, love and friendship shine through the show, making the characters feel alive and lovable.

Directed by Jillian Osborne, the hour long show is relentless in its energy, delivering a dynamic show that audiences can't look away from. Osborne's direction ensures that even the more subtle moments in the script are highlighted well and dials up the insanity of the characters to new heights. The pacing is just right, as it jumps between the Gardening Club meetings and the Wilder household, culminating in a brilliant and action filled climax.

Amy Marsden's set helps cement the time period of the show, using vintage lamp shades, dressings, rugs and glasses; that are well matched by the costume and wigs worn by the Wilder's. Lily Roake serves as the assistant stage manager, aiding in the full use of the small theatre as the auditorium doors are used frequently as the Wilder's front door. Ella Ashton-Shaw's work on the project as a cultural consultant helps the community and characters feel authentic.

Josh Rosewood has composed an original song for the show, as the Gardening Club's anthem, a song that would in any other scenario be a catchy and witty number, but is used to great comedic effect here, truly establishing the club as a overcover cult of sorts.

Fight director, Becca Was, has done an impressive job in turning every fight scene into a stand-out moment, bringing equal parts of comedy and action. These sequences are flawlessly choreographed and executed, buzzing with energy and risk and providing audiences with an adrenaline rush as they constantly shift between emotions and character sides. The use of physicality throughout the piece is used well, turning a simple conversation into one that has the audience shaking with laughter in their seats.

Kgalalelo Thakadu's level of commitment to her role of Sheryl-Anne Bowman is unmatched as she quite literally throws herself into the amusing and concerning antics in her attempts to woo Gregory. Thakadu's giddiness as she chases her delusions turns into a brilliant staged sequence as she dreams of her happy ever after whilst narrowly avoiding her death.

Jess Vince-Moin as Phyllis Amberhide is a riot, as her rigidity and her unwavering loyalty to the Gardening Club takes the show to a new level. Vince-Moin's performance is a strong one, blending together a bizarre humour in her attempts to regain control, whilst the world around her grows increasingly chaotic.

Evie Weldon is a standout as Martha Hoover, going above and beyond in every scene with an unforgettable performance. Weldon's childlike innocence and need for friendship is well combined by her extreme emotions as she unleashes her anger and sorrow, turning the entire show on its axis. Weldon embraces the script well, ramping up the drama, and delivering a show stealing performance, with an intensity that had the front row leaning back to avoid being in her grasp at moments (complimentary).

Billiouw and Van Brabant are the dream duo, a real partners in crime combo. Written for themselves, the characters are perfectly paired, countering and matching each other on all fronts. Gregory's search for something more as he tries to pull away from the life he once knew, creates a refreshing character who constantly regulates his emotions, practices meditation, minds his own business and is genuinely emphatic, and Billiouw manages to convey all of this with a coating of comedy throughout. On the contrary, Gloria's search for adrenaline and power as she remains a loose cannon, desperate to hold onto what brings her joy despite its rather dark consequences as well as her impatience and thinly veiled anger towards Martha and the Gardening Club, is hilarious and yet Brabant injects a sense of relatability and reason to her performance.

The writing is witty, the story is clever, the twists keep the audience guessing, and the characters themselves are so vibrant and fascinating that a mere hour is not enough time in the world created by Brabant and Billiouw. If there was ever a fringe theatre show that needed to be adapted as a series, this would be the one. The show promises a wild time, and delivers an even Wilder one.

★★★★★ (5*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review