Badgers

A shapeshifting, mercurial play about folk tales, the art of letting go, and the ethics of true crime. Premiered at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, in 2026. '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.