From Fringe debut to future touring: Anatomy of Pain
The brief
Aoife Parr’s show Anatomy of Pain is a powerful exploration of a dysfunctional healthcare system, following an emotional journey seeking a diagnosis for the rare condition Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
For the nine-day debut Edinburgh Fringe run, we aimed to secure early press coverage, engage the medical community, and work closely with EDS UK to raise awareness and support for those affected by or seeking diagnosis of EDS. By boosting the show’s profile we also hoped to create some momentum to secure opportunities for a post-Fringe run.
Our role
We started off by securing listings, preview pieces, and features, and also collaborated with EDS UK to plan raising awareness of the show. We put the creative team forward as potential podcast guests, and as part of other coverage linked to wider Fringe stories in the national media. We reached out to disabled audiences through relevant titles and influencers. UK artistic directors, award judges, and health-related charities were invited to attend early performances, and we ran ticket giveaways to boost attendance.
The results
Anatomy of Pain received significant media attention with preview coverage in The List and The Edinburgh Reporter, alongside a feature interview with Aoife on Broadway Baby. The creative team appeared on the Scots Whay Hae! podcast, and the show gained social media support through posts by EDS UK on their LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Aoife was included in a Scotsman feature about the challenges and costs of performing at the Fringe, as well as in a roundup of shows by disabled artists.
Critical reviews came from publications such as The Scotsman and LondonTheatre1, while the Derek Awards sent judges to see the production. Ticket giveaways and competitions were run in partnership with health-related charities such as Bupa Dental Care and Care for Carers to boost early audience attendance. Drama Research invited Aoife to contribute an article for their international peer-reviewed journal.
After the Fringe, the production obtained an additional performance slot in England in October 2025, and plans are now underway for a broader tour across England in 2026.
