Liesl Wilke’s ‘The Hidden Dangers of Camping’ arrives at Theatre Royal Windsor for its world premiere with an intriguing premise and an impressively large production. The story begins with a family crisis in the present that pulls Casey (Jess Nesling) back into memories of a childhood camping trip, gradually revealing that this apparently idyllic weekend was anything but. The result is an absorbing, visually accomplished drama which examines the damage carried through families and the lasting effects of being exposed to adult behaviour at an impressionable age.
Director Bronagh Lagan handles the movement between past and present particularly well. Casey’s therapist (Sandra James-Young) becomes an effective portal into her memories, allowing the play to slip between timelines with clarity and lots of theatrical imagination. Lagan makes beautiful use of the stage’s different levels and its available space, giving the recollections a sense of dimension and creating the impression that the past is continually encroaching upon the present. This is greatly enhanced by the spectacular technical elements, which are without doubt the production’s greatest strengths. Nicky Bunch’s set and staging provides a versatile and evocative environment, while Jane Lalljee’s warm, inviting lighting initially captures the comforting glow of a family camping trip before subtly revealing the unease beneath it. Julian Starr’s atmospheric sound design and Matt Powell’s video work add further texture, producing some striking visual imagery without overwhelming the human drama. Together, these elements create a technical production that is polished, cohesive and often extremely beautiful to watch.
There are some strong performances. Charlie Brooks is confident as Ruby, bringing an engaging, free-spirited energy to the character’s hippie sensibilities while suggesting something more complicated beneath the relaxed exterior. Jess Nesling provides the production with its emotional anchor as Casey, delivering a controlled and grounded performance that holds the shifting narrative firmly together. The wider cast performs strongly, but several supporting characters feel underdeveloped, and this is less a reflection of the actors than of Wilke’s script, which does not give them sufficient room to grow beyond their immediate dramatic functions.
The play’s principal weakness is its pacing. With a running time of approximately two hours and ten minutes, the storytelling feels more laborious than the material demands. Its deliberately relaxed, almost dreamlike rhythm is initially appropriate but eventually diminishes the tension. A tighter, faster-paced second half would allow the revelations to land with far greater force. It needs to pick up the pace so that its dramatic punches can land, but it never quite does. There is a sense that Wilke wanted the play to be provocative: its subject matter encompasses sex, drugs, alcohol and abuse, yet its treatment remains surprisingly restrained and somewhat tame. Despite approaching potentially controversial territory, it never becomes particularly shocking or dangerous, and the eventual impact is therefore more muted than expected. Nevertheless, this is a promising and highly accomplished piece that is beautifully directed, technically assured and led by some excellent performances.
‘The Hidden Dangers of Camping’ is an engaging drama that leaves the impression of something important just waiting to be fully unearthed. It runs at the Theatre Royal, Windsor until 25th July and tickets are available at https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk
Reviewer: Alan Stuart Malin
Reviewed: 21st July 2026
North West End UK Rating: