Main Character Energy review: Temi Wilkey steps into her true star power

Edinburgh Fringe

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Edinburgh Fringe 〰️

Image: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

by Zoe Paskett

Temi Wilkey was born to be a star. She knew it all along and now we know too. Performing in the round, she is the literal centre of attention as she strikes a regal figure in a tiara and an excess of pink feathers.

Temi was born to medical parents with no interest in her art and, despite all of her begging to be sent to the Brit School, instead had to settle for Stagecoach after her mother deemed her imaginary friendships to be “troubling and a bit pagan”. Through reminiscences, poetry, songs and entries read from her fluffy pre-teen diary, we learn about her career on the stage from childhood to adulthood, always chasing the limelight, always cast as the bit parts and understudies. This one woman show is her signal to casting directors of the world that she can be the main character in any story.

And wow! She’s not wrong! Watching Main Character Energy, it’s hard to see how anyone could view her as anything other than the main event. But she’s up against an industry and a society that keeps minorities in survival mode and can’t deal with a Black female lead, particularly a dark-skinned one – just look at the horrific racism Francesca Amewudah-Rivers was subjected to when she was cast as Juliet. But Juliet is still always in the back of Temi’s mind.

Main Character Energy is an elaborately camp and flamboyant parody of the one woman play and all its tropes, but it also serves as a genuine slate for her many talents. At first dedicated to giving the audience as much of herself as she possibly can, it’s an absolute joy watching her come to embrace her own individuality, her sexuality, her true star power, all the while building to an overwhelming, dramatic, ecstatic climax.

There’s simply no excuse left not to cast her in all the lead roles.

Main Character Energy is at Roundabout @ Summerhall at 21:40. Tickets here