In The Wilderness, Wende is the ravishing centerpiece of a breathtaking show ★★★★☆

Like a high priestess, she rises above her followers, six young singers of the Nederlands Kamerkoor, in shining robes, floating, transparent haste. Over the next hour and a half, Wende will descend deeper and deeper into life, love and herself. Until she stands firmly on the ground, satin coat and dress stripped off, ego and self-loathing conquered: this is her, she is here, and that’s enough. Although ‘enough’ seems too small for a frenzied full to the brim Carré, which has her new show, postponed four times by corona. The Wilderness euphoric reception.

The singer’s transition on stage is about her three-day experience on top of a mountain, in solitary seclusion in nature, where she hopes to find answers, peace and self-acceptance. She succeeds, but not before she has also explored the painful, ugly, scary sides of her life. Her father’s death, fear of commitment and separation, intergenerational trauma, drive, ambition, envy, insecurity; everything comes together in eighteen exciting narrative songs, usually accompanied by drums and electronics. Reinventing the Dutch theater song on house beats – leave that to Wende Snijders.

The more concrete the songs, the better, culminating in a brilliant marital quarrel that is so recognisably false it hurts. “If you can’t do this, then what do you want/ Your flight is so predictable, little man.” ouch. Very occasionally a song succumbs to generalities, but where Wende becomes a character, every word is soon hit. In addition, she is a hypnotic performer: she dances, screams, rages on an electric guitar, and the next moment she is captivating, warm and unctuous. As the ravishing centerpiece of a breathtaking show, Wende provides an almost perfect musical theater evening.