EDINBURGH 2026: Review: CHRIS CANTRILL: REWILDING, Monkey Barrel
Rewilding presents a deceptively layered show that proves Chris Cantrill is a veteran of his craft.
After months locked away in the writers' room of Saturday Night Live UK, three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Chris Cantrill is finally back. Bringing newfound wisdom and knowledge to the stage, the comedian very quickly declares, “This is not a political show.” Explaining his sudden declaration, Cantrill confesses, “I’ve been doing stand-up for sixteen years. It has been going fine for two.”
It’s a hilarious introduction to the comedian’s sense of humour, and one that immediately gets us to the heart of the show: change. Chris’s life has suddenly been turned upside down. He’s just turned forty, SNL UK was a hit, and, most importantly, he’s moved to the countryside.
A city slicker no more, Cantrill takes us through the peaks and troughs of his new life and shares with us his hardships in adjusting to his new surroundings. From struggling to make new friends in his forties, to rivalries with elderly churchgoers, to being taken in by a group of Gen Z girls and gays, Chris has been through it all, and he’s come out the other side to tell us all about it.
Standing on stage with assured confidence and endearing himself to the audience with his infectious laughter and friendly demeanour, Chris presents himself as a social chameleon capable of fitting in wherever he goes. As such, he feels like the perfect person to tell this story.
At face value, Rewilding feels like a relatively simple hour of stand-up comedy. Instead, Cantrill brilliantly layers the show with cautionary tales of tribalism, social acceptance, and the dangers of trying to fit in. All underneath a series of silly, offbeat anecdotes about his new life, which constantly allows the comedian to surprise us when his material gets darker and more serious in tone.
With almost two decades of experience behind him, Chris Cantrill proves himself to be a veteran of his craft. Although he jokes that he is a tradesman and his tool is the microphone, you couldn’t see yourself in a safer pair of hands during this year's Fringe.
Chris Cantrill: Rewilding is at Monkey Barrell until 29 August
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