REVIEW: Bog Body, Itchy Feet Theatre, EdFringe 2025 ★★★★

Ever wanted to lie face down in a bog? Ever wanted to marry someone who did? In this darkly funny one-woman show, grieving Petra is haunted by the Lindow man (the eponymous Bog Body). But is it an apparition? A symptom of her grief? Or her true love?

We are introduced to Petra in the hour before her wedding. She is preoccupied by the time, and nervous for us to understand her. She tells us about her love, the Lindow man, who she plans to join in the bog where he belongs. In doing so, she unravels her turbulent recent history, which includes her twin sister’s mysterious death, her own near-death experience, and being forced to seek psychiatric help by her mother. Despite the significance of the evidence that Petra is in the midst of a psychotic episode, something stirs below the murky surface that asks ‘what if?’. And Petra herself seems very sure of her desires, so down to the bog we go. Bog Body is a poetic dive into love, grief, and the (un)certainty of death.

Maddie White delivers a beautiful performance as Petra, the unhinging romantic lead of this gothic melodrama. She is funny and vulnerable by turn, fully committing to the obsessive desire for a leathery husk that the role asks of her. She deftly flips between addressing the audience, addressing characters that communicate to her via voice-over, and being wholly consumed in her own world. She possesses a quiet intensity that is both unnerving and alluring, and is so convinced of her own delusions (or her real connection) that you almost find yourself tiptoeing into the bog after her. Writer and director Jen Tucker must be praised for her clarity and depth of vision, which brought this chilling and romantic tale to life.

I found myself incredibly impressed at the quality of this ambitious production, which made a large impact with very limited resources – succeeding where so many more established companies stumble. The lighting design must be given particular mention – by turns the lighting was harsh and clinical, or deep, impenetrable blue. At points White’s skin appeared to glow as if by candlelight, which is no mean feat in a Fringe venue. This gave the production a real cinematic quality, elevating it significantly and making the sparse set more effective.

Impressive, affecting, and intricate, Bog Body will be visiting me in my dreams, and I can’t wait to see what Itchy Feet Theatre does next!

Recommended Drink: A nice big glass of bog water.

You can catch Bog Body at The Vault at Paradise in The Vault from 18th to 24th August at 14:00 (40 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.