Malaika Kegode’s “Badgers” Stages a Dark Fairy-Tale Investigation at the Edinburgh Festival

The new play “Badgers” premiered at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival, presented by Theatre Royal Plymouth. Written and performed by playwright-actor Malaika Kegode, the piece blends a true-crime premise with gothic fairy-tale elements. The plot follows the 2015 disappearance of folk singer Ben, whose vanishing is examined by Meles Costas, an under-qualified true-crime podcaster haunted by the expectations of his high-achieving, terminally ill mother. Kegode frames the audience as Costas, inviting them to weigh ordinary investigative logic against supernatural speculation—such as the notion that Ben may have transformed into a badger after stealing a cursed song from his landlady Bridget Brock.

The Guardian

The production is directed by Jenny Davies, whose long-standing collaboration with Kegode shapes the show’s atmospheric tone. Live music is supplied by the ensemble Jakabol, with performers Beth Roberts and Joe Williams delivering the score from a sound booth. Kegode herself assumes the dual role of playwright and lead performer, guiding the narrative with a distinctive “badger-stripe” hairstyle that underscores the play’s thematic focus on animal symbolism.

The Guardian

“Badgers” interrogates the ethics of true-crime storytelling by juxtaposing a conventional podcast interview with supernatural motifs—folk songs imbued with dark-magic properties, human-to-animal transmutation, and hints of witchcraft. The work asks which stories merit retelling and which fade away, positioning the investigation of Ben’s disappearance as a conduit for broader questions about narrative choice and cultural memory.

The Guardian

The Guardian’s review acknowledges Kegode’s technical skill and the production’s atmospheric strengths, praising the live score and the precise staging. However, the critic notes that the play’s larger purpose remains ambiguous; the reviewer suggests that, aside from its appeal to fans of true-crime ethics, the piece does not present an urgent or clearly articulated message. The assessment frames “Badgers” as an engaging but ultimately optional addition to a festival already saturated with competing narratives.

The Guardian