False Morels; A Performative Escape room
(Immersive performance) 2025
Shortlisted for the Global Graduate Showcase 2025.
Blurb
Amazonia is brought into turmoil by 'Rexaco Petroleum' a monstrous oil company. A Mycologist is working on a solution, using mushrooms to absorb toxic oil from the land but needs the help of two willing participants. Be Wary, Amazonia has some rules - if you enter, you must complete your mission in order to escape!
About the projectFalse Morels is a project I created to explore Mycoremediation (the use of Mycelium to break down hazardous waste in soils). Guided by characters and objects, participants follow a trail of clues to save the land, as the audience watches their attempt to escape in a forty minute time limit . The piece utilises a satirical tone and video game style choice making to bring to light the environmental impacts caused by oil companies. Through an immersive experience participants can understand the narrative through personal contact with objects, moving image, soundscape and characters.
Watch the trailer here!
Objects
The Felix Mushroom
Clay, acrylic, glue
Mushroom Extrtactor
Cardboard, acrylic
The Book of Infinite Answers
Cardboard, paper, acrylic
Performance Stills
by E Xuan
Credits:
Story, direction, props, production by Florence Anastasia
Cast:
Amazonian Guard- Sungyeon Kim
Purple Foraging Mushroom- Xinling Zhang
Green Foraging Mushroom- Shuyi Alice Wang
Edwarth Crudbert III - Sara Cirillo
Ghost Participant- Lishuang Yang
False Morel- Jack Tisdall
Mycologist- Florence Anastasia
Sound Design and Moving Image - Jack Tisdall assisted by Florence Anastasia
Costume- Matilda Bayes assisted by Florence Anastasia
Makeup- Sadie Martin
Lighting Design- Sheron Luo assisted by Florence Anastasia
Tech Operation- Chang Xu and Minko Zhang
Performance stills - E
Video - LJ