Lindow Moss, Cheshire – a peat bogland gains notoriety in 1984 when an iron-age body is uncovered from the bog mostly intact, fondly named Lindow Man. Soon after being discovered, the body was properly preserved and then displayed in the British Museum – until now. It’s Petra’s wedding day and she’s full of the pre-wedding jitters, maybe because it’s a huge milestone in life, or maybe because she is about to marry the decaying body of Lindow Man which she has stolen from the British Museum.
Produced by Itchy Feet Theatre, Bog Body is a one-woman show that revels in the dark and brooding atmosphere, with both humour and almost thriller-like aspects. Performed by Maddie White, we are let into Petra’s inner world – stressed, all over the place, and in deep emotional and physical pain, we begin to understand the chaos happening within her. White has a real talent, traversing this complex character with a great familiarity and naturality – stylistically creating a sort of merging of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jodie Comer in her acting.
Jen Tucker’s writing is deeply layered, filled to the brim with metaphor. We explore the parallels between the murkiness of the bog and of Petra’s mind – both somewhere things can get lost or found even.
Throughout the play, Petra is spoken to by the looming voice of a psychiatrist and comforted by the voice of her sister. We discover that Petra’s twin sister passed away and was found by Petra in the bog, where she too almost died but was supposedly saved by Lindow Man. The official cause of death is suicide, but Petra believes her sister’s husband killed her – this is where we delve into the “mad woman” trope – who do we choose to believe and who can say what is real? Tucker explores a myriad of interesting questions throughout the play, disguising them in a mystic and warped simulacrum, creating a unique work of ambience and intrigue, powered by White’s personable and witty, but also emotive performance. Just as the mysteries within the bog, this is a play one can certainly sink into.
Bog Body runs until the 24th of August at Paradise in the Vault, with tickets available at https://whatson.paradise-green.co.uk/
Reviewer: Jessie Martin
Reviewed: 19th August 2025
North West End UK Rating: