Mushroom Language: A Fungal Gothic

Schedule

Fri Nov 14 2025 at 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

New Adelphi | Salford, EN


They eat nappies

They eat toothbrushes

They eat bombs

They eat newspapers about how the world will end…

a species running slowly in parallel preaching change silently

digesting muck into matter and back again.
MUSHROOM LANGUAGE: A FUNGAL GOTHIC is about the cycles that shape us - eruption, reproduction and decay. It’s about role-playing the lichen love stories, spore shoot-outs and truffle siren songs found in our forests. In an eerie and funny homage to folk horror, two human performers absorb and mimic 'mushroom language' through ritual and power dynamics. Who are these creatures, and what are the mushrooms trying to tell them? Dreamlike conversations and movement sequences are underpinned by original music from composer Hannah Miller (of the Moulettes) and playful design by Rūta Irbīte. Mushrooms offer us a lens into a more sustainable future, but nature is hilarious and terrifying.
Credits
Text: Ali Matthews
Devised and performed: Ali Matthews & Tom Halls
Design/Visual Dramaturgy: Rūta Irbīte
Sound Designer/Composer: Hannah Miller
LX Design/Production Management: Rob Athorn
Dramaturgy: Kate Adams
Movement Consultant: Simone Kenyon
Photos: Drew Forsyth & Georgiana Ghetiu
Trailer: Georgiana Ghetiu
Developed with support from Lowry and partners including Dartington Trust, Wainsgate Dances, Slung Low, New Adelphi Theatre/University of Salford, Centre for Live Art Yorkshire and the Centre for Folklore, Myth and Magic and the British Mycological Society. R&D design support from Jamie Simmons. Supported with funding from Arts Council England.
@alimatthewsandco  ¦   alimatthews.org
This show is eligible for New Adelphi Season Ticket use!
Warnings: Suitable for ages 16+. Contains strong language, references to sex and death, flashing lights, loud noises
Admission: £3 / 5 / 10 / 15
Pay What You Can is an ‘honesty box’ for the theatre. We and the artists will continue to programme and produce high quality events and ask you to pay what you can afford.
As a guide, for those in full time employment we would appreciate you paying £5-£10. We also understand people's income can be precarious, hence the lower price options. All revenue from ticket sales for events at New Adelphi Theatre will always go back to support professional artists, through residencies, commissions, touring work or for more bespoke projects where the student experience is enhanced through co-creation with arts professionals. We thank you for all your continued support.
Please note all bookings come with a 50-75p booking fee. Please note that all tickets are for unallocated seating.

If you require limited mobility access (step-free), please let a member of staff know upon arrival.
Accessibility is extremely important to us at the New Adelphi Theatre. If you have any accessibility requirements, please email Hannah at the box office at [email protected].
When you arrive, the Box Office only needs to take the ticketholder’s name to check you in, however we can also scan any printed ticket or e-ticket you may present.
All tickets are non-allocated seating.
Click here for more information on accessibility and directions to the New Adelphi Building.
Disclaimer:
The event listed here is purely for informational purposes. All the details such as venue, date/time, artist information, etc., are subject to change.
This event is not associated with or sponsored by AllEvents, but it may be of interest to you. You can explore more such events with us at AllEvents.

Where is it happening?

New Adelphi, New Adelphi, Salford, EN, United Kingdom
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