A wildly imaginative collision of science, theatre, music and the strange intelligence of the natural world
Wade McCollum, Zombie Ant Fungus
I created and produced Zombie Ant Fungus: The Chemistry of Control as a Pestival commission exploring one of nature’s most extraordinary phenomena: the parasitic fungi that manipulate the behaviour of ants.
The original production premiered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in May 2026, bringing together neuroscience, mycology, entomology, performance, music and visual storytelling. Written and directed by Wade McCollum—who also composed the music, choreographed and performed in the show—it became part lecture, part theatrical spectacle and part mycelial hallucination.
At the centre of the work was Ophiocordyceps, the fungus renowned for altering an ant’s behaviour and turning its body into a vehicle for its own survival. But the production used this astonishing biological relationship as a starting point for much larger questions. What does it mean to be in control? Where does one organism end and another begin? What unseen forces influence our behaviour—and would we recognise them if they did?
Through sound, movement, humour, horror and scientific insight, we invited audiences into a world in which biology became theatre and theatre behaved like a living system. It was playful, unsettling and deliberately difficult to categorise: an experimental concert, an immersive performance and a scientific investigation all at once.
Arts and Culture Panel
The performances were followed by conversations bringing together leading scientists, artists and cultural thinkers. The scientific panel explored research across fungal biology, neuroscience, ecology and agency, while the cultural panel considered how scientific discoveries shape art—and how imaginative work might influence the way we understand science.
Science Panel
What people said
The response to Zombie Ant Fungus: The Chemistry of Control was extraordinary. Critics, scientists and audiences embraced its strange collision of science, performance, music and theatrical experimentation.
“I didn’t know what cultural entomologists did before seeing Bridget’s exhilarating insect bacchanal. But her fungal acid trip revealed that this rare species of visionaries is clearly as vital to our world as their beloved insects. The show unfolded like a lucid delirium — feverish, mycelial and utterly brilliant. Bridget made me lick the frog, and I’m still tripping.”
Sally Chatterton, Editor at UnHerd
“Funny, freaky and fabulous fun for all the family. See it now before becoming a zombie mushroom!”
Cosmo Landesman, The Spectator
“Zombie Ant Fungus exceeded every expectation. The content touched on multiple areas of biology and philosophy and was positioned in the generally tricky territory of ‘science theatre’. But from the very first moment, it established itself as compelling, amusing, confident and provocative.
“There were multiple instances of extraordinary stagecraft, and we were left with rich knowledge and deep questions. As was evident from the panel I chaired afterwards, the audience were energised and engaged, and I’d be fascinated to follow what this project generates next. Bridget’s work is fabulous.”
Dr Daniel Glaser, Program and Curation Lead at Google DeepMind
“Zombie Ant Fungus was one of the most unique events at the Royal Institution in recent memory. As a boundary-pushing blend of science and performance, it challenged and excited audiences in equal measure.
“The Theatre at the Ri has been the stage for many great firsts, and to add ‘world’s first musical performance about zombie-ant fungus’ to that list has been unforgettable.”
Chris Witham, Public Programmes Manager at the Royal Institution
Audience responses
“Myself, my wife and our two grown-up children, aged 25 and 23, attended the event. We all have different interests, but we all enjoyed it. My daughter commented, ‘I don’t think you could have chosen an event that could have satisfied all our interests so well. It was amazing.’ Dad and elder daughter love science, whilst mum and younger daughter love music and dance.”
“An absolutely terrific performance that took risks and felt wonderfully in keeping with the Royal Institution’s history of experimentation and the discovery of scientific ideas.”
“A fabulous event hosted by fabulous people. I feel better educated — the science was very accessible but not dumbed down.”
At once funny and unnerving, Zombie Ant Fungus became a meditation on manipulation, symbiosis, intelligence and interdependence. It offered a reminder that no organism exists entirely alone—and that the boundaries of the self may be far more porous than we like to imagine.
The mycelia are with us.
Creative team
Creator and producer: Bridget Nicholls
Writer, director, composer, choreographer and performer: Wade McCollum
Collaborators and performers: Loré Lixenberg and Ernesto Tomasini
Assistant choreographer: Anzli Mia
Dancers: Gaia Giovagnoni and George Linehan
Sound production: School Farm Studios
Head of technical: Adomas Zubė
Lighting design: Felix Gibbons
Visual art: Sophie Taylor
With thanks to:
..a fascinating and beautifully immersive experience
João Araújo, PhD | Mycology Curator and Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen