Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl

by Isabel Renner

developed with Cameron King

A hilariously tender solo show about shyness, longing and the terrifying business of being known

Welcome to Shy Girl’s apartment. Please take off your shoes. Or don’t. Sorry.

Shy Girl is about to host the dinner party of her dreams. The guests? A group of effortlessly cool “legends” from her neighbourhood: the kind of people who smoke cigarettes, have tattoos, know how to talk to each other and seem to move through the world without overthinking every single breath.

Before they arrive, Shy Girl has invited another group of trusted companions into her home: the audience. With the help of index cards, imaginary friends, a six-year-old therapist, a hot-girl roommate, a terrifying German gynaecologist, a divine-feminine sex coach and several deeply questionable romantic fantasies, she attempts to practise the art of opening up.

Painfully funny, wildly theatrical and unexpectedly moving, Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl is a comedy about social anxiety, romantic obsession, loneliness, fantasy, friendship and the impossible pressure to become the kind of person other people might want.

As Shy Girl prepares to transform herself into a confident, sexually empowered, socially dazzling “legend”, she begins to discover something much more radical: that she may already be enough.

Fresh, fast and gloriously strange, Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl is a gift for performers looking for a bold contemporary solo show. Isabel Renner’s play moves between stand-up, storytelling, character comedy, audience interaction and emotional confession, creating a vivid theatrical world from one performer, one apartment and one spectacularly overactive imagination.

It is a sharp and generous comedy about the ache of wanting to belong, the awkwardness of desire, and the bravery it takes to be seen.

Perfect for performers and small theatre companies

Written for one actor, Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl offers a dynamic and highly flexible solo performance text. Shy Girl performs every live character herself, shifting between roommate, manager, love interest, therapist, gynaecologist, sex coach, neighbourhood legends and her own spiralling inner voice.

With minimal staging requirements and huge comic potential, the play is ideal for studio theatres, fringe festivals, touring, drama schools, solo performance showcases and actors looking for a distinctive contemporary monologue piece with heart.

“Unfalteringly funny… laughing the whole way through”
Theatre Weekly ★★★★★

“The script is genius”
EdFringe Review ★★★★★