Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Disciples of Anatomy
Sofia Genco-Billington
Genre: Absurd Theatre, Disability Arts, Feminist Theatre, New Writing
Venue: Greenside @George Street
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Set in London 1848, a significant date in the development of surgery. Maud Flemming, wife of a sought after surgeon and the autistic heroine of this absurdist period drama, endures afternoon tea with a friend of the present, and an enemy of the past.
Review
Lights up on stage and we are plunged straight into an off kilter tea party. No genteel tinkling of teacups as Maud Flemming entertains her good friend Adelaide (Lucy Waldron) to Earl Grey tea with a side order of swearing and a sniff of chloroform. Although at the speed the opening scene is delivered we could be forgiven for thinking both had been ingesting other remedies – it’s a shame that some of the witticisms were lost in garbled lines. The first of a series of bell rings summons Maud away to a disturbing discovery, and the lighthearted banter begins to falter. A ring at the doorbell brings in an unexpected visitor – Mrs Abernathy (Abigail Collicutt) – whose dramatic demands for surgery for a damaged hand sets off a train of unsettling revelations.
Had we been privy to a glimpse of the front door we might not have been surprised to find a large number 9 painted on it because Disciples of Anatomy is in the gothic horror genre favoured by TV show Inside Number 9. Starting with a very witty, laugh out loud script (written by Sofia Genco-Billington, also cast as Maud), the play gets increasingly dark, very unsettling but no less engrossing. It is a genre expectation to have unexplained and disconcerting events but there were a few loose ends too many and the abrupt end of the piece was unsatisfying after such a strong opening.
Maud is billed as the autistic heroine and the complexities of her character are laid out from the start. The challenges of her childhood are cleverly revealed and poignantly handled. Adelaide’s role as a supporter and protector is beautifully drawn out. Their close friendship and evident equality have been hard won over many years and it is a very moving element of Disciples of Anatomy. You may gain a greater insight into the struggles of autistic women in a strait-laced society through this portrayal of Maud.
Set in the broader context of advances in medicine and elevation of hero surgeons, Disciples of Anatomy also touches on what it is like to be part of that world for women, although it is unclear whether these three women (all wives of medical men) are based on real people or the product of Genco-Billington’s rather splendid imagination. It does have some flaws in the script, and the venue’s vigorous air conditioning means the performers need to project more than they consistently managed in the performance reviewed. Even so, this is a show well worth checking out.
