Bread & Roses Theatre – 14 October 2025
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Wilt is an unflinching piece of writing about the diverse ways grief affects people’s lives. Beginning with a recording of voices discussing cliches abut grief, often holding opposing views, as Nadia (India Erlam) sits bereft on the floor after her father’s funeral, Jazz Summer’s writing is natural and emotional. Nadia’s boyfriend Elliott (Joe Northstone) tries his best to comfort her, but it is obvious that she will need more than tickles to get through this.
The couple’s relationship is written and acted with great perception. They use silliness and games to diffuse arguments and seem to have been solid and loving. The couple’s separate ways of grieving cause cracks to appear, however.
Nadia becomes fixated on a rose from her father’s garden gifted to her by her stepmother, and stops going to work, washing, cooking – spending her time on the sofa to check on the rose’s health. Elliott tries to keep things going, but one well meant decision to help Nadia and avoid worrying her backfires when she finds out. Their confrontation highlights their different approaches to their grief: Elliott acknowledges grief but says that you have to move on and get over it, while Nadia’s crippling grief makes that impossible.
As the play goes on, small hints from early scenes are clarified and Nadia’s visceral grief is revealed to be burdened with guilt and betrayal as secrets about where she was when Elliott was at her father’s side as he died are exposed. Elliot’s response is to, yet again, bury emotions and move on, while Nadia sinks further into mania and delusions. There is no neat, happy ending to Jazz Summers’ play, just lots of questions and the hope that the couple seek help. Neither character is judged, their emotions and actions are simply presented to the audience with a haunting sense of realism. I am sure that all members of the audience can connect on many levels with both characters.
A searingly emotional but compassionate story of grief, Wilt is a production with enormous potential.