In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe 2026 interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, we speak with Sofia Genco about Disciples of Anatomy.
Maud Flemming is billed as the first autistic heroine of the Victorian period drama genre. What sparked the initial inspiration to place a neurodivergent woman front and centre in 1848 London?
The decision to set the play in 1848 was not an immediate one, as it was within the decades prior to it that things such as graverobbing and dissection enjoyed a certain gothic heyday (with the prior being outlawed in 1832). But eventually I was swayed by two things, firstly, by the idea of placing characters slightly after the action, and recalling their lives within it, as opposed to being right there as it happened (quite an ask for a black-box fringe theatre!). And secondly, because I knew the fashion of the 1840s best lent itself to my desired ‘look’ for the play. These factors almost formed the setting for me, as I began to imagine the world Maud existed within and the dresses, carpets, and parlour rooms. The 1840s have grown to be, oxymoronically, an extremely romantic decade for me, mostly on account of its total sobriety in all its aesthetic and social regards. It is for this reason that I felt a technicolour character such as Maud could burn the brightest.
The decision to set the play in 1848 was not an immediate one, as it was within the decades prior to it that things such as graverobbing and dissection enjoyed a certain gothic heyday (with the prior being outlawed in 1832). But eventually I was swayed by two things, firstly, by the idea of placing characters slightly after the action, and recalling their lives within it, as opposed to being right there as it happened (quite an ask for a black-box fringe theatre!). And secondly, because I knew the fashion of the 1840s best lent itself to my desired ‘look’ for the play. These factors almost formed the setting for me, as I began to imagine the world Maud existed within and the dresses, carpets, and parlour rooms. The 1840s have grown to be, oxymoronically, an extremely romantic decade for me, mostly on account of its total sobriety in all its aesthetic and social regards. It is for this reason that I felt a technicolour character such as Maud could burn the brightest.
Historical records rarely documented autistic women explicitly. How did you approach the research and creative process of writing an authentic autistic experience in a Victorian setting without using modern diagnostic vocabulary?
I think history is littered with autistic people, and so many iconic characters in period literature show traits commonly associated with a diagnosis of autism in the modern day. Mr Darcy’s direct and scarce conversation, Jane Eyre’s black-and-white, stalwart morality, Cathy’s dark rages, or Hamlet’s inability to wear any other clothes but those that mourn the death of his father; the only difference happens to be the language surrounding these famed characters. Words such as ‘rigid’, ‘unsociable’, and ‘unchanging’ follow many an individual in biographies or letters, along with anecdotes of strange eating habits, large and meticulous collections of objects, or eccentric social behaviours; just go to a National Trust property and it will be spilling with such stories! So, all these factors constitute towards grounds for what would be a modern consideration of an autism diagnosis. Disciples of Anatomy strives to create an image of what a presentation of autism could have looked like in women in the 1840s, traits which, as the century went on, often became grounds for incarceration into the growing asylum trade. It is important to immortalise characters such as Maud, to remind people that autism has always existed, and that the world has never been easy for autistic individuals no matter the century.
I think history is littered with autistic people, and so many iconic characters in period literature show traits commonly associated with a diagnosis of autism in the modern day. Mr Darcy’s direct and scarce conversation, Jane Eyre’s black-and-white, stalwart morality, Cathy’s dark rages, or Hamlet’s inability to wear any other clothes but those that mourn the death of his father; the only difference happens to be the language surrounding these famed characters. Words such as ‘rigid’, ‘unsociable’, and ‘unchanging’ follow many an individual in biographies or letters, along with anecdotes of strange eating habits, large and meticulous collections of objects, or eccentric social behaviours; just go to a National Trust property and it will be spilling with such stories! So, all these factors constitute towards grounds for what would be a modern consideration of an autism diagnosis. Disciples of Anatomy strives to create an image of what a presentation of autism could have looked like in women in the 1840s, traits which, as the century went on, often became grounds for incarceration into the growing asylum trade. It is important to immortalise characters such as Maud, to remind people that autism has always existed, and that the world has never been easy for autistic individuals no matter the century.
The precursor to this show, Maudlin, debuted at Camden's Etcetera Theatre in 2025. How did the audience response and development process from Maudlin shape the story Disciples of Anatomy tells today?
Maudlin explored an alternate and isolated idea of events, in which Maud was being examined by a doctor, under the threat of asylum incarceration. The idea behind this was to propose Maud, almost as a concept, and to see what people thought of her. Many became quite attached to her immediately, through her sense of humour and passion for what is fair, even if it is not necessarily right. My co-actor, Guy Amos, played the accompanying role of the doctor in such a way that it created the perfect environment to elicit the correct reactions from Maud; the oversharing, nervousness, and anger that was needed to really colour her in. And her relationship to the doctor, often goading, often dejected, was perfectly accompanied by Guy’s interpretation of the doctor as a sort of otherworldly force. When I watch it now, as is the case with most actors I’d assume, I find myself incredibly boring to watch! I feel that, though Maud and I have known each other for many years, with every rehearsal and show I uncover her more and more. Maud in Disciples of Anatomy is still funny, always with an aside or a good-natured comment, yet also, as I have learnt, incredibly passionate, and often angry. The bite I felt I missed the first time; I hope to slowly keep finding.
Period dramas are notoriously dominated by Received Pronunciation (RP). Why was it vital to bring regional Midlands accents to the stage, and how does class and regionality influence these characters?
Until I went to university in London, I would have told people I didn’t have an accent, that the Midlands accent was too posh for the north, not posh enough for the south, and therefore did not exist. Yet, over those three years, I faced a myriad of comments, questions, and jokes about an accent I didn’t even know that I had. I started to feel isolated because of it, knowing that however hard I tried, there would always be a certain difference held against me by those members of the upper-class South. I brought this to the characterisation of Maud in Disciples of Anatomy, as it is an accent rarely seen in period dramas, both in literature and on screen. Maud’s regionality affects her standing greatly within the events of the play, despite being from the same village as her best friend Adelaide; Adelaide’s higher-class upbringing makes her more able to assimilate with the even more upper-class character of Cassandra, an ability that Maud cannot seem to find. Within the business of screen and stage, the Midlands is sorely underrepresented, with very little attention paid to the depictions of its landscapes and inhabitants.
When people say Midlands, others may say Kasabian, or This is England, but I strongly feel it is time for that list to grow. London’s determination to ignore the Midlands (‘I don’t know where that is?’, ‘are you from Birmingham?’, ‘where’s home for you?’) has only made me want to show it off more.
Every costume in the production is handmade using authentic 1848 construction techniques. How does this commitment to historical precision impact the performers and the physical storytelling on stage?
Our costumes were made by the excellent Amos Jeavons, who knows everything there is to know about period-accurate costuming. We chose the 1840s based upon how it would influence the movement of the female characters. With stiff shoulders, tight arms, cinched waists, and larger hips, 1840s dresses encouraged bending only from the middle, and limited mobility on any upward arm movements. While they are not as tight as people may believe (it is a true myth that corsets were painful cages!), the dresses do only allow for articulated-barbie-like movements, all of which was intentional. Disciples of Anatomy may start seated, but grows to be quite physical at its climax, and the period-accurate costumes have really influenced the actors’ movements in very exciting ways. Amos and I believed it would add an extra layer of believability that is often disregarded, even by professional and West End productions, allowing us to see these female characters experience the world around them in a wholly different and more accurate manner.
Disciples of Anatomy features a tight, all-female cast of three. How does that intimacy affect the tension and pacing of a Gothic drama?
My most used word in rehearsals was ‘faster!’ So much so I had to start prefacing the command with ‘don’t shout at me…’ But it was so important that I tried to get as close as possible to the true pace and rhythm of women’s conversations, which among close friends is often fast! Women, similarly, are often shunned for taking up time and space, and you may find we often explain ourselves in professional settings at an incredibly fast pace, in order to take up as little time as possible. Factors such as this influenced the pacing of the play as it ensured that what could be a one-act play set in the same room for an hour became a fast-paced runaway train of events. As actors, the cast and I are incredibly close, which allows us to achieve this intimacy between friends, as well as creating tension between enemies. All-female casts remain rare in mainstream theatre, yet at the Fringe the dynamic shares a massively exciting popularity which we are so excited to be a part of!
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
We are having a period drama renaissance at the minute, and Disciples of Anatomy has its finger right on that pulse. In recent and upcoming years, we have adaptations of Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and so many more. I think we are looking to the past for understanding and for comfort, as well as the uncanny fact that our modern times mirror those of the gothic inception extremely closely, with political, social, and religious upheaval prevalent topics of modern life. Our times, and those of Shelley, Byron, Le Fanu, and Stoker, share a myriad of similarities.
In addition to this are our consistent issues in the UK with the under-funded and strangulated National Health Service, with medical neglect, racism, and misogyny becoming issues more commonly noted by researchers and journalists in the medial fields. We are very slowly beginning to realise that we face the same social issues of medicine faced by the characters within Disciples of Anatomy 178 years ago.
How do you mentally and physically prepare ahead of a run at the Fringe?
Live as boring a life as you can for many months so by the time you get to Fringe you are craving excitement so much that the utter chaos of it won’t hit you until months after it's over? Or at least I hope that will work…In all seriousness, I do think you can be too prepared. Fringe is about adrenaline and spontaneity, both of which do not come naturally to me as an autistic person; however, I do think you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who isn’t inspired by the festival’s fast-paced nature. Take it as it comes and keep repeating the mantra that it isn’t as serious as all that.
If you couldn’t use a flyer to attract audiences, what ridiculous object would you hand out to people to get them into your show?
The red ribboned bells you get on those chocolate easter bunnies. It may only make sense once you see it! But I can assure you that you’ll never want to hear another bell again.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without at the Fringe?
Beige. Snacks. Crackers, crisps, cereal bars, tortilla chips, flapjacks. All the beige snacks. Things that keep you full without feeling too present in your stomach. No greasy spicy things so you’re not burping in everyone’s faces.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
West-End transfer? (Not really.) I think, if we can have at least one person in every day, and maybe one or two reviews, with a couple of happy audience members, I’ll be more than happy. With my autism, much of this is showing myself, and other autistic people, that I can do it. Everything else is added success.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
All three of our cast did Daisy Pulls it off as our A-level drama piece, and there is a production of it coming to Fringe this year, so we will all be going! In all honesty, I’m more likely to be snatched in by a shepherd’s crook two minutes before things start!
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
I hope Disciples of Anatomy plants a little seed in people's minds to see the past in a different way, one that sees it as being closer to our modern-day existence than we often think. We label the Victorian era as dowdy, prude, boring, and arrogant, but really, we are ever so similar to them; it’s almost hilarious. I hope it helps suggest a longer lineage of autistic women in the UK’s history and encourages people to think about their stories more closely, considering their pain without seeing them as tragic backstories or essentialised stereotypes. Autistic women have always been here, and I feel our time is overdue.
I hope Disciples of Anatomy plants a little seed in people's minds to see the past in a different way, one that sees it as being closer to our modern-day existence than we often think. We label the Victorian era as dowdy, prude, boring, and arrogant, but really, we are ever so similar to them; it’s almost hilarious. I hope it helps suggest a longer lineage of autistic women in the UK’s history and encourages people to think about their stories more closely, considering their pain without seeing them as tragic backstories or essentialised stereotypes. Autistic women have always been here, and I feel our time is overdue.
When and where can people see the show?
7th-22nd of August at Greenside George Street, Ivy Studio, at 6:35pm!
Tickets are available from https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/disciples-of-anatomy
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