Vegetables at Clerkenwell Bio Botanics

When you see the words “vegetables” and “immersive showcase”, it’s easy to think of a theatre production that will teach us about how to care for the environment, or how to eat better – not necessarily about a botany-loving scientist who cures all ailments by transferring patients’ consciousnesses to everyday vegetables, and brings them back ailment-free through a mind-blowing climax. Every bit as whacky as it sounds, this new immersive site-specific experience, written and directed by Nathan Ess, has all the trappings of a Black Mirror episode, and has taken over a secret location in Clerkenwell.

The show follows the story of Dr Angela Haas, played by Adie Mueller, whose life work has become the subject of interest for all viewers. The immersion begins at the booking process and ends long after you have left the theatre. In many ways, it is the true essence of an immersive show, and other than 2020, it feels like the closest thing one would get to a real-life Black Mirror experience. Ess has done everything possible to make it as seamless as possible, with attendees not knowing when the acting ends and real life begins. It is a commendable and formidable feat. Dr Haas’s assistant (Michelle Roberston) does an expert job in keeping the show moving and interactive for most of the first half, solely steering the believability of the world that has been created and never once drops character.

However, once Dr Angela Haas eventually meets her subjects for the evening, things begin to get very weird. Understandably, that is the nature of the production, so it makes sense that an element of the absurd is present. Where it verges on almost too much is in the trauma-dumping of Dr Haas in a way that no one could ever be prepared for. For those who are easily triggered, it is important to be aware that many themes contained within this show can be quite sensitive for the viewer. That said, Mueller handles it quite well, easily adapting conversations and veering from lines where audience participants occasionally interject. This in itself is a mark of how well Mueller and Roberston have honed their craft and mastered their scripts to be able to deviate without losing their place.

The performance is an assault on the senses and our sensibilities, making for a very interesting watch. It is a shame, however, that audience participation sometimes felt mandatory, and occasionally invasive for those watching. It borders on a violation of the those watching and has the potential to spoil the evening at an otherwise quirky and surprising show.

The morals that the audience are left with at the end bring to the fore the question of whether or not retaliation after an egregious act is justified, but, for certain, this experience will leave you asking more questions than you can answer, and, perhaps this is the mark of a truly remarkable show.

Natallia Pearmain

Vegetables is at Clerkenwell Bio Botanics from 8^th until 23^rd June 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.