Mushroomification (Legs, Legs, Legs)
★★★☆☆ Hilarious
Just the Tonic at The Mash House (Venue 288): Thur 31 July – Tues 5 Aug 2025
Review by Erin Frances Speirs
Mushroomification (Legs, Legs, Legs) from Heads on Crooked is a surreal romp through the prevalent conversation of collectivism versus individualism, running at the Mash House for the first weekend of the Fringe.
Off the back of a sold-out run at the Augustine United Church in May, this absurdist comedy simultaneously follows twin strands – two quarrelling scientists who are studying and working with mushrooms; and a mushroom that yearns for individuality, legs, and to be a dancer – until their stories collide.
Tiger Mitchell (Erwin), Till Schindler (Karies) and Garrick Pagel (the mushroom) in Mushroomification. Pic Yashique Chalil.
The play opens with the lone Mushroom (co-writer and co-director Garrick Pagel) who is creating and releasing spores, an ongoing part of their tedious existence. The shroom’s delicate movement and strong, exaggerated prose are met with Pagel’s soft, precise voice to create a serene sense of longing for the impossible: to grow legs and become an individual, separate from their mycelium hive mind.
In a laboratory not too far away, two brothers quarrel over who will be in control of their ‘fair and equal’ practice of experimenting. Erwin (Tiger Mitchell) has been working with three types of mushrooms in hopes of making a miracle drug, and has yet to let Karies (co-writer Till Schindler) take control. That is until Karies steals it, finally beginning his attempts to ‘mushroomify’ the human race to live as one in a hive mind.
The mushroom costume, designed by Tilly Bankes, is beautifully and cleverly crafted, with every prop and set piece – although minimal – used thoughtfully to its full potential. It is evident that time and care has been put into creating this silly show that asks the big questions.
Control and power are discussed throughout Schindler and Pagel’s script, as well as collectivism versus individualism. The scientists bicker over who has control in their experiments in an attempt at equality, with one hoping to save the world and the other hoping to connect it; while the Mushroom longs to be free of that connection, to be unattached and have a life of their own.
yearning for freedom
Contrasting the Mushroom’s yearning for freedom with Karies need to be connected in the hive mind, the play displays the avoidant approach to connection that many humans develop: longing for it, but flinching at the pressure and intensity of it.
Strong performances throughout ensure that the trio’s comedic timing and chemistry carry the production. However, there are moments when they are let down by aimless direction, from Pagel and Lola Rose Wood, where beats feel as if they are being either dragged or lost. Keeping this naturalistic helps, but it also creates energy drops that do not assist with the story or humour.
Unfortunately, due to poor sight lines, a lot of the physical comedy is missed, especially in the latter half of the performance. Audiences in the front row might be laughing and, given the caliber of comedy throughout the rest of the piece, it was surely very entertaining; but just not possible to see for more than half of the audience.
Mushroomification (Legs, Legs, Legs) is a small show asking big questions that needs a little more space to grow. With a more advantageous venue and tighter direction, Heads on Crooked could have a hilarious hit on their hands.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Just the Tonic at The Mash House (Just the Bottle Room), 37 Guthrie Street, EH1 1JQ (Venue 288).
Thur 31 July – Tue 5 August 2025.
Daily: 12.50pm.
Tickets and details: Book here on EdFringe.com.
Book here on EdFest.com.*
*affiliate link.
Instagram: @headsoncrooked
ENDS
