Paul T Davies reviews Wilf at the Traverse Theatre presented as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Wilf
Traverse Theatre
Edinburgh Fringe
5 Stars
Passing his driving test gives Calvin the chance to leave his abusive boyfriend. He buys Wilf, a rusty Volkswagen Polo, and they set off on a journey to detonate his inner sex bomb. Except Calvin, possibly bipolar, develops deep feelings for Wilf. James Let's totally outrageous comedy goes where nothing I have seen on stage has gone, and I don't think I can listen to Bonnie Tyler again!
It's riotous and heart-felt, particularly because of an excellent cast, headed by Michael Dylan as Calvin, revelling in oversharing but also empathetic to Calvin's mental illness. Neil John Gibson excels in all the other male roles, generally sympathetic and supportive, especially as Frank and Irene Allan is terrific as the acerbic driving instructor Thelma. The comedy ranges from outrageous to dark, (Calvin's boyfriend is only 5ft 4, but has a "wee set of steps to run up"), but immense sympathy is created for Calvin.
The set and movement creates a fast-paced show with a lot of heart and... Other body parts! You will have a ball, one of the funniest and best-acted plays on the Fringe!
Aug 14, 16-21, 23-28
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Paul is a playwright, director, actor, academic, (he has a PhD from the University of East Anglia), teacher and theatre reviewer! His plays include Living with Luke, (UK tour 2016), Play Something, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Drayton Arms Theatre, London 2018), , (2019), and now The Miner’s Crow, which won the inaugural Artist’s Pick of the Fringe Award at the first ever Colchester Fringe Festival 2021. In lockdown 2020 he created the audio series Isolation Alan, available on Youtube, and performed online in the Voice Box Festival. He is the founder member of Stage Write, a Colchester based theatre company, and his acting roles include Rupert in How We Love by Annette Brook, first performed at the Vaults Festival 2020 and revived at the Arcola and at Theatre Peckham in 2021. Follow: @stagewrite_
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