Review: Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl

📍 Southwark Playhouse

🗓️ 25th October 2025

🎟️ PR Invite

If social situations make your stomach flip or you’ve ever wished to fit in, you may relate to this.

Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl, written and performed by Isabel Renner, is a 70-minute solo show that invites us into her character’s world — and the reality of living with shyness.

The story unfolds in a pink New York kitchen decorated for a party, where the audience is handed name tags on the way in and encouraged to sit at the table. It’s an immersive setup that instantly makes you feel part of her world.

At first, she seems a little startled to see us, but soon finds her cue cards and begins to share her story. We hear about her chaotic flatmate Memphis, her job at a French restaurant (where she’s too shy to confidently announce the specials), and discover her six-year-old “therapist” — a kid she babysits who somehow seems wiser than most adults.

Hoping that love might be the cure for her shyness, she falls for her coworker “Pino,” which leads to a series of hilarious mishaps and hilariously cheeky moments.

Isabel’s performance is full of warmth and humour, and she makes wonderful use of the audience — referring to people by name throughout, which makes it feel like you’re part of her story. She moves naturally between characters, shifting her voice and posture to bring each one to life.

It’s funny, heartfelt, and at times a little raunchy, but underneath it all lies a really honest look at trying to fit in, finding connection, and living with social anxiety.

Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl runs at Southwark Playhouse Borough until November 15th.