Chris Cantrill's Rewilding: a comic mystery set in the countryside
In his new show Rewilding, comedian Chris Cantrill explores the challenges of middle age and rural life, including his awkward interactions with villagers. The performance includes a fictional investigation into the felling of a local tree, inspired by the Sycamore Gap incident. Cantrill, a four-time Edinburgh comedy award nominee, delivers an entertaining but less tightly structured follow-up to his previous show.
Cantrill's show draws on his real-life move to a Northumbrian village after turning 40, a transition he previously chronicled in his 2024 Edinburgh show "Easily Swayed." The new performance features a fictional mystery about a felled tree, echoing the real-world Sycamore Gap controversy from three years prior. Beyond stand-up, Cantrill works on Saturday Night Live UK, and the review notes his four consecutive nominations for the Edinburgh comedy award, placing him near James Acaster's record for nominations without a win. The show runs at Monkey Barrel Comedy through 30 August.
This review reflects how climate-related events—even symbolic ones like the Sycamore Gap felling—can filter into mainstream entertainment and public conversation. By weaving environmental themes into comedy, Cantrill may help audiences engage with ecological issues through humor rather than confrontation. The show's focus on rural community dynamics could resonate with viewers navigating similar tensions between tradition and change, though its impact is likely limited to comedy festival audiences rather than broader policy discussions.