REVIEW - Bog Witch is a fast-moving, amusing and totally engaging piece of drama

We were invited to HOME in Manchester to see Bog Witch. Read what our reviewer, Lizzie Johnston thought about this enjoyable drama show...

Created by Bryony Kimmings, Bog Witch blends climate anxiety, folklore and personal storytelling into something that feels quite raw and a bit unpredictable. It centres on Kimmings’ own decision to uproot her life and move with her son from the city to a tumbledown cottage in the middle of nowhere, an attempt to reconnect with nature and reset, while navigating life with an eco-conscious partner who is very tuned into environmental issues, in a way she quite clearly is not, at least at the start.

The show takes you through that first year of living in the country, and that structure gives it a really clear sense of progression without ever feeling too rigid. Each season is brought to life in quite a simple but effective way, with changes in props, costume and lighting doing most of the work, and the set staying deliberately stripped back to allow those shifts to come through. It means you are constantly aware of time passing, and of how much she is changing alongside it.

There is a lot of comedy in that adjustment period, especially in those early stages where everything feels unfamiliar and slightly ridiculous. The opening leans heavily into that, almost like a stand-up set, full of sharp observations and very recognisable moments, particularly if you are more used to city life. 

That humour runs all the way through, but it starts to sit differently as the story develops. What begins as funny reflections on country life and the contrast with what she has left behind gradually opens up into something a bit more honest. 

The shift into a more traditional one-woman storytelling style happens quite naturally. You are still getting those lighter moments, and the comedy never drops off, but it becomes more of a way to hold the piece together as it moves into darker or more emotional territory. Having spent that first half laughing, you feel those moments more when they come, because they are not what you have been led to expect.

There is also a really nice use of physical comedy throughout, not just in Bryony’s performance but in the way props and costumes are used to bring those seasonal changes and country stereotypes to life. Some of the biggest laughs come from those more visual moments rather than the script itself, which adds another layer to it.

The audience felt completely with it, especially during the more interactive moment, which lifts the energy in the room again without taking away from the overall tone. It is one of those parts that works best when you don't know too much about it going in.

It’s not a show built around big, dramatic moments, and there are points where it slows down, but it never feels like it loses its focus. What really stays with you is how much it shifts from beginning to end. You go in laughing at these very familiar, quite light observations, and come out having seen something much more layered. It doesn't try to tidy everything up, but it feels honest, and that is what makes Bog Witch work.

Bog Witch is a 90-minute, fast-moving story about adapting to country life and leaning into all the stereotypes that come with it. It’s genuinely funny, but also pulls you through a mix of emotions as it goes, making it an easy, engaging theatre trip that has a bit more depth than you might expect.

WE SCORE BOG WITCH...




Bog Witch is on at HOME in Manchester until Saturday 28th March 2026.


Watch our "In Conversation with Bryony Kimmings" video discussing the show

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