Auntie Empire, the hotly anticipated new solo show from Scotland’s acclaimed theatre company Disaster Plan, will premiere at Summerhall Arts as part of Manipulate Festival 2026 on 8–9 February, before transferring to Glasgow’s Tron Theatre from 12–14 February.
Previews take place at the University of the West of Scotland on 4 February, CatStrand on 5 February, and Dundee Rep on 6 February.
Written and performed by Julia Taudevin, Auntie Empire is a hilarious and grotesque satire on Britannia and the absurdity of imperial self-regard. Blending bouffon comedy, audience interaction and biting social commentary, the show lampoons myths of nationhood in a bloody, messy and timely performance.
Taudevin said, “Auntie is a sweet old dear. All she wants is to regale us with tales of dear old Blighty, but her body is falling to bloody bits. Oh dear. Someone ought to clean that up.”
The creative team includes bouffon director Tim Licata, dramaturgs Sara Sharaawi and Kieran Hurley, sound designers Niroshini Thambar and Nik Paget-Tomlinson, lighting designer Emma Jones, and puppetry and costume specialists Fergus Dunnet and Gretchen Maynard-Hahn.
Supported by Creative Scotland and Summerhall Arts, Auntie Empire was originally developed through Summerhall Lab and a Traverse Theatre commission, and follows the success of the short film of the same name.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
