A Costume Drama at Zoo (Playground 1)

A Costume Drama is a new comedy written and performed by Claudia Fielding, directed with music by Anna Rastelli. The story follows reluctant Ella, who is thrown into the oversized boots of Eddie the mascot when her shell-suit sporting dad is indisposed, as the 2026 Mascot Grand National approaches. What begins as a chaotic scramble to keep a family tradition alive grows into something bigger, pulling Ella into a world where mascots, fans and forgotten sideline figures matter as much as those on the pitch. Inspired by the cultural impact of Bend It Like Beckham and the global rise of women's football, the play centres the fan, the everyday punter, and the women at the heart of a male-dominated world.