We sat down for a quick chat with Isabel Renner about her upcoming project, Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl.
Shy Girl is such a vivid, funny, and vulnerable character. What inspired you to bring her to life on stage?
She is inspired by my experience of feeling like the shyest girl in the entire world. I’ve always had a pretty hard time talking to other people without my hands shaking or my face turning a flattering shade of sweaty red. Shy Girl is a heightened expression of those bodily tendencies. But she’s also a heightened expression of unbridled optimism. Is that optimism occasionally a bit delusional? Sure, maybe, when she’s optimistic that the six year old for whom she babysits is a sufficient therapist or that her unalluring coworker (whose name is literally Pino) could be her soul mate if she just tries hard enough. But it’s also life-affirming optimism – she is absolutely certain that True Love and epic friendship are only one index-card-prompted conversation away.
The show has this incredible balance of raw honesty and outrageous comedy. How do you find that sweet spot between hilarity and heartbreak?
I think a lot of Shy Girl’s vulnerability is hidden inside the show’s silly and irreverent tone. It’s all playful and a little ridiculous, but the tenderness has shyly been riding in the backseat the whole time. Then when moments ache, they genuinely ache because you’ve been laughing with… (at…?) this character for an hour, building a real relationship (that’s what a real relationship is, right? Laughing at someone for an hour? I’m learning…)
I have found that hilarity and heartbreak often go hand in hand. When I talk about the most heartbreaking moments of my life, I end up telling my funniest stories. Things are usually funny because they’re so intensely true.
You glide between ten different characters during the show. How do you prepare to embody such a range of personalities in one performance?
I am learning proper ways to warm up my voice. I have a naturally raspy one, so I have to be careful not to blow out my chords. Considering going on vocal rest outside of the show, which is a glorious excuse to be shy. I don’t know why I never thought of that before…
You’ve said London is Shy Girl’s dream home. What does it mean to you to bring the show here after its success at the Edinburgh Fringe?
It means the world. It is literally her dream home. She’s in love with the Brits – whether that is because of some karmic inheritance or simply from watching My Fair Lady one too many times, you can never be too sure with ancient longings like this. But, alas! Doesn’t every Shy Girl deserve to luxuriate in her dream home?
The show is directly addressed to the audience, who serves a vital role as Shy Girl’s primary counsel and confidantes. The fact that these audiences will be made up of English people? Well, that’s going to be (string) music to Shy Girl’s ears. No one will bring her more courage or more joy!
What do you hope people who have struggled with shyness, social anxiety, or self-doubt will take away from the show?
I hope anyone who has struggled with those big S’s takes away from the show the following:
1) that I want to be their friend… if that’s something of interest.
2) That no matter how cool, uncool, medium cool they think they are, no matter what drugs they haven’t yet done or friends they haven’t yet made…They are gentle and kind and profoundly loveable just as they are. There is nothing to change. And they are worthy of all their dreams. May those dreams come true!