Alberta Theatre Projects has taken its audiences on a remarkable journey this season, from the dark tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to the joyous family frolic of The Wizard of Oz and the poignant drama of Casey and Diana. The season continues with Kat Sandler's Wildwoman, a play that combines elements of a fun house and a roller coaster. In the fun house, people are not what they seem; mirrors distort them until they finally come into view, revealing their true nature. On the roller coaster, one moment you are laughing out loud, but the next you are gasping in disbelief.
The Story of Catherine de Medici
Wildwoman tells the story of Catherine de Medici, who at 14 was sent to the court of France to marry Henry II. As Henry crudely explains upon her arrival, her only purpose is to produce male heirs. The play begins when both are merely teenagers. Henry's tutor, Didi, who has also become his mistress, is a formidable force that Cathy—as Henry dismissively calls her—must contend with. There is also a young serving girl named Kitty, who wants to be Cathy's friend and confidante. Lastly, there is Pete, a wild man suffering from hypertrichosis, whose body is covered in hair. Henry receives Pete as a gift for his 16th birthday and loves collecting oddities of nature, making Pete his favorite. Didi teaches Pete to read and write, and Cathy becomes his friend. Eventually, Pete marries Kitty, and they begin having children, something Henry and Cathy seem unable to do.
The First Act: Shock and Laughter
The first act of Wildwoman shows how these five individuals change each other's lives. There is a great deal of simulated sex, crude language, and flamboyant antics. Everything seems played for laughs and shock, reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. To enjoy the fun at the heart of Wildwoman, one must surrender to absolute pleasure. Resisting the experience means fighting it all the way.
The Turning Point
Cathy is unable to conceive with Henry, all the while watching Pete and Kitty produce child after child. The solution seems simple, and reluctantly, Pete agrees to give her a child. Pete's first child with Kitty is a boy who does not carry the gene for hypertrichosis, so Cathy assumes none of his offspring will. She becomes pregnant with his child, but when Pete's second child with Kitty is born—a girl who does carry the gene—Cathy is terrified. Synthia Yusuf is hilarious in her portrayal of Cathy's fear that her baby will have the gene and that Henry will discover the deception.
The Second Act: Darkness and Power
In the second act, the tone shifts dramatically. All the naughtiness becomes dire and real, and the characters—particularly Cathy—become manipulative and monstrous. The power dynamics shift, and Cathy's initial harmless gesture of sitting on the throne at age 14 becomes her whole reason for being. As queen, after years of sustained hurt and dismissal, she is determined to make everyone pay.
The level of talent in Wildwoman is staggering. The cast delivers powerful performances that bring Sandler's complex characters to life. Nathan Kay, Connor Suart, and Elizabeth Barrett, along with Synthia Yusuf, create a compelling ensemble that navigates the play's dark themes with skill and nuance.
Wildwoman is a thought-provoking and visceral theatrical experience that challenges audiences to confront the beast of cruelty, corruption, and lust for power. It is a fitting conclusion to Alberta Theatre Projects' season, leaving a lasting impression.
