'I came here looking for the truth behind the disappearance. What I found was something stranger.'
Meles is a podcaster with a dying mother and a stalling career, and she's about to stumble into something unfathomable. A recluse, a disappearance, a mysterious folk song. This is a story that could change everything – but is it really her story to tell?
Badgers is a shapeshifting, mercurial play: a folk tale about folk tales, an exploration of the art of letting go, and an enquiry into the ethics of true crime. Produced by Theatre Royal Plymouth in association with Bristol Old Vic, Malaika Kegode's play premiered at the Traverse Theatre as part of the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, directed by Jenny Davies and with music by Jakabol.
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'A true-crime, gig-theatre supernatural thriller for the ages... a supremely impressive and incredibly moving new play... fresh, original, and urgently told... a genuine standout of the Fringe – an inventive, haunting spectacle that must be seen to be believed'
" - WhatsOnStage"
'A narratively ambitious, genre-straddling play with supernatural overtones'
" - The Stage"
'Captivating... weaves together folk horror, true crime and spoken word into a richly atmospheric theatrical experience... a beautifully crafted meditation on memory, grief and the stories we choose to tell. Innovative without feeling self-conscious, and immersive without relying on gimmicks, this is a thoughtful and compelling piece of theatre that places its audience at the very heart of the adventure'
" - Theatre Weekly"
'Eerie and bewitching... a richly imagined, haunting creation... its strange magic and its woozy sense of suggestion get thoroughly under the skin'
" - The Arts Desk"
‘Smart, vivid and searching’
" - Scotsman"
'A 21st-century fusion of oral storytelling, 1970s folk horror and sound-led narrative'
" - Herald"
'An inventive, essential piece of Fringe theatre that shouldn't be missed'
" - Quintessential Review"
'Very special... an outstanding achievement in fringe theatre, unafraid to find its own, fresh voice... truly and wonderfully unique... Kegode is a master storyteller... a truly exciting and fresh voice within the theatrical world'
" - All That Dazzles"
'Spellbinding... leaves you utterly disarmed'
" - Bouquets & Brickbats