Potty the Plant Review

Lucy Appleton in Potty the Plant at Wilton's Music Hall

At the ever-charming Wilton’s Music Hall — all faded grandeur and creaking floorboards —

fringe favourite Potty the Plant has taken root for a short but sprightly run. With a bare-

bones, split-level set framed by a series of backing flats and a conspicuous cabinet (where

one assumes the long-suffering puppeteer was stashed pre-show), the stage is dressed just

enough to let the performers — and the innuendo-stuffed script — do the heavy lifting.

We open with a knowingly silly pre-show hospital radio broadcast, setting the tone for the

panto-meets-parody world of Boo Boo General Hospital. Shout-outs to unfortunate patients

and delightfully low-brow gags immediately clue the audience into the show’s brand of

humour: silly, smutty, and self-aware.

Potty the Plant began life as a short film by Aeddan Sussex and Baden Burns, later adapted

for the stage with help from Sarah Burns. After debuting at the Durham Fringe and making

its way to Edinburgh, the show brings a definite fringe-theatre energy — playful, chaotic,

and sometimes uneven.

One might expect a singing plant musical to lean heavily into cannabis jokes — surprisingly,

Potty steers clear. Instead, it veers unexpectedly into more eyebrow-raising territory,

including an odd abundance of paedophile jokes. It’s a choice that might jar with some,

especially when weighed against the show’s otherwise cartoonish tone.

Our titular plant Potty (voiced and puppeteered with impressive stamina and warmth by

Baden Burns) opens proceedings with a song straight out of a deranged CBeebies

programme. It’s blood test day at Boo Boo General, and spirits are high! Enter the nurse trio

— Nurse Mel, Steven, and Dave — played with bounding energy by Stephanie Cubello, Sam

Ridley, and Joe Winter. The comparisons to Harry, Ron and Hermione aren’t unwarranted;

they’re a close-knit, upbeat bunch tasked with keeping the chaos in check.

Soon, we meet the antagonist: Dr. Acula (Ash K-B), a deep-voiced, flamboyant vampire

doctor who seems to have taken inspiration from Little Shop of Horrors’ Orin Scrivello by

way of True Blood. His target? Our ingénue, Nurse Lacey (Lucy Appleton), a sweet if slightly

limp figure who’s being wooed not for her heart, but her inheritance. Potty, who is

hopelessly in love with her, is understandably distressed. Cue a delightfully bonkers plot of

seduction, betrayal, and botanical vengeance.

Vocally, the cast are clearly trained and talented, though sound issues — often the curse of

beautiful old venues like Wilton’s — made some lyrics and dialogue difficult to catch. Still,

Burns deserves particular credit for delivering Potty’s character with a surprisingly tender

vocal tone; cartoonish, yes, but never grating — more gentle sincerity than shouty

caricature.

The hour-long runtime zips by, punctuated by slapstick, dad-jokes, and the sort of offbeat

asides that could only come from a fringe-bred show. A surreal running gag involving a feud

between the sun and moon provides a weird and wonderful subplot that somehow fits

perfectly into the show’s anything-goes energy.

Highlights include the impressively slick puppeteering of Potty himself, a lively and catchy

soundtrack, and the array of gleeful costume changes — particularly for the mascot-like

human-sized Potty that makes a late appearance. It’s a production clearly fuelled by love,

talent, and a bit of mayhem.

Not all the jokes land, and the humour won’t be to everyone’s taste. But if you go in

expecting something between adult panto and fringe satire, you’re in for a fun — if slightly

chaotic — ride. The kind of show you could take your dad to and share a giggle without

having to overthink it. And honestly? That’s a rare and lovely thing.

Potty the Plant runs at Wilton's Music Hall until June 28th. You can read other reviews, like our Potty the Plant one here.