Wild Child

Synopsis

London, 1998. A cramped flat in East London becomes a battleground of faith, culture, and identity

Abigale Chiamaka Okafor, a 12-year-old Nigerian immigrant, navigates the treacherous waters of adolescence in a new country. Torn between her mother’s strict traditional values and the allure of British teenage life, Abigale finds solace in her church. But when the charismatic Pastor Abimbola ‘Good Morning’ Akingbade takes an unhealthy interest in her, Abigale’s world begins to unravel.

Arinze Kene’s Wild Child is a searing exploration of the immigrant experience, religious manipulation, and the vulnerability of children caught between cultures. Through a series of intense, often dreamlike scenes, we witness Abigale’s descent into a world where faith and abuse become horrifyingly intertwined. The play’s structure, alternating between a formal inquiry and vivid flashbacks, creates a haunting sense of inevitability. Kene’s script crackles with tension, employing both biting humour and raw emotion to tackle themes of cultural assimilation, religious extremism, and the exploitation of innocence.