Review: Mushroomification (legs, legs, legs) at Drayton Arms Theatre 24th - 28th March 2026
'Strong aesthetic choices are insufficient to power this production' ★★
Fringe theatre patrons are well acquainted with unusual subject matter. Without the patronage of an established institution looking over their shoulder, independent theatre companies have the freedom to create theatre about truly anything.
Arguably, Mushroomification (legs, legs, legs), the debut offering from Edinburgh-based theatre company Heads on Crooked, could be considered par for the course. The play tells the story of a Mushroom who, upon becoming separated from the greater mycelial network (imagine an underground system of roots enabling fungus to pool information and resources with its neighbours) rips itself from the ground and learns to talk.
Nearby, a couple of scientist siblings argue about how they can best replicate the mushroom experience for humanity. They experiment with a machine that can combine the best qualities of different mushrooms into a single specimen and attempt their own physical communication structure by stringing themselves together with rope.
On its face, the concept seems rich with dramatic potential. Here we have an organism, shrouded in mystery, whose appearance reverberates throughout folklore. They appear static but can communicate and, therefore, ‘travel’ throughout the ecosystem. They depend upon the collective for survival, indeed, they are the collective. What does this have to say when compared to a pair of warring brothers who, despite their physical resources, their scientific knowledge and ambulatory prowess, remain isolated from each other and the world?
An agile set allows our performers to rapidly switch between the verdant, mossy woodlands and the sterility of the brother's laboratory, confidently demonstrating the contrast between both worlds. Likewise, well-constructed costuming by Tilly Bankes is thoughtful, intricate and used to excellent practical effect later in the show.
Unfortunately, strong aesthetic choices are insufficient to power this production. There is a sense that, in this instance, the creative team have elected to rely on the novelty of the idea rather than doing the creative work to eke out the meaning from this proposal. The storyline is both chaotic, which makes it difficult to follow, while also feeling inert, which quickly becomes tedious to watch. The lack of friction in the plot is compounded in this production by a slightly self-conscious delivery from our three performers, who raced through the dialogue without giving the audience time to absorb.
The quality of the idea is a positive sign for this young theatre company, however in this production more time and care was needed to truly engage with and respond to the material in a cohesive and satisfying manner.
Mushroomification (legs, legs, legs), Garrick Pagel & Till Schindler
Drayton Arms Theatre
24th - 28th March 2026,
Heads on Crooked, https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/mushroomification
Reviewer Natalie is a writer and playwright from Edinburgh. She is a graduate of the Lir Academy for Dramatic Arts in Dublin and the Traverse Young Writers group in Edinburgh. Her writing has been performed on stage in the UK and Ireland and has been adapted for radio by the BBC.
