'She scrubs desperately. Fervently. Furiously. The filth is in the walls and she can feel it in her bones and under her skin.'

As the stench in their building intensifies and infestations spread, a group of lonely tenants starts to ask questions.

The housing association will barely lift a finger and pest control 'don't deal with maggots', so the neighbours are left to grapple with their suspicions and fears alone – blurring the boundaries of their usually private lives in the process.

Farah Najib's play Maggots explores loneliness, systemic failure and what it means to build community. It was first performed in this version at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2026, directed by Jess Barton and produced by Jessie Anand Productions.

'Intimacy and richness, with a deft creation of interior life... Najib has a knack for drawing you into her world' — Guardian

'Farah Najib is a writer who can make words dance... the characters all spring to colourful life... moments of brilliant humour... an engrossing story cleverly told... a piece of controlled and revealing theatre' — WhatsOnStage

'Exemplary storytelling... a sixty-minute whirlwind about neglect and the consequences of everyone assuming someone else will act... a vivid portrait of systemic failure, delivered with comic realism and unnerving restraint... a story that needs to keep being told' — Everything Theatre

'Merging the personal with the political, Maggots exposes the cold reality of a housing system in crisis and the depths of darkness that emerge from a socially isolated society... a topical moral tale for our times' — London Theatre

'Timely and deeply relevant... the characters feel lived-in and familiar... thoughtful, provocative writing... Measured, moving, and genuinely troubling... a surprisingly bold, genuinely thought-provoking play' — All That Dazzles

'Weaves comedy with outrage, posing difficult questions while exposing how responsibility is repeatedly avoided... initiates uncomfortable yet necessary conversations... Maggots leaves a lasting impact' — Theatre & Tonic

'A searing masterclass in dramatic tension... a complex, compassionate story of deeply flawed humans being failed by an uncaring system... Najib's script is unflinching... With witty dialogue, creatively vivid descriptions and a clear, concise structure, Maggots keeps the audience on tenterhooks' — Theatre Weekly