Caligula
Drama · Physical theatre · Clown
Age suitability: 14+ (Guideline)
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: Tom Corradini
PERFORMED BY: Nike Redding, Isabella Egizi, Tom Corradini
Frank Wilkinson, an American professor of ancient history,
is being treated in a psychiatric ward following a severe
psychotic episode. In the grip of hallucinations, he is
convinced he is the Emperor Caligula.
Aided by a clown nurse and an autistic musician, Frank
relives the rise and fall of Rome’s most notorious emperor —
a man who began as a populist servant of the people and
ended as a narcissistic tyrant.
A tragicomedy blending physical theatre, clown and
live performance.
DIRECTOR’S NOTES: Caligula has always fascinated me
as a political archetype — the leader who arrives as a
liberator and becomes a tyrant. A trajectory that history
has repeated many times.
Setting this story inside a psychiatric ward allows us to
explore power and madness simultaneously — both in
ancient Rome and in the mind of a man who has lost
his grip on reality. The two stories mirror each other
in ways that feel uncomfortably contemporary.
Edinburgh Fringe 2026 · 6–21 August
This show has now concluded its Fringe run. For future dates and touring information: www.tomcorradini.it
❝ A brilliantly acted, funny, thought-provoking romp through a period of Roman history. Scarily relevant to today. ❞
❝ captivating, emotional and they physicality made it even more immersive. We thoroughly enjoyed this and the cast is very accomplished. ❞
❝An excellent ensemble piece, nicely mirroring the rise and fall of a Roman Emperor with the stress and strain of modern life – but very good use of humour lightens the story line. Congratulations to all the actors for an entertaining and informative hour.❞
❝A superb bit of physical theatre that taps into what most people know about the life of the Emperor Gaius (Caligula) and catches what must be some of the essence of this most notirious of tyrants.❞
❝I honestly didn’t know the first thing about the Roman Empire or physical theatre/clowning, but this show completely blew my mind and opened up a whole new world for me.❞
❝Great actors in a play with nothing to envy to Albert Camus’Calígula.❞
Professional critics
★★★★
Rialto Arts Hub
“Tom Corradini’s Caligula offers a different take – a physical-theatre production that partly retells the emperor’s life while using his story as a vehicle to explore mental illness and the challenges it presents.”
★★★★
Binge Fringe
“It is injected with a vibrant vitality – and it is in this contradiction, taking something rotten and making it feel alive and screaming — that makes Caligula legitimately beautiful. ”
TOURING & BOOKING INFORMATION
For programmers and festival directors:
Paul Levy of FringeReview interview performers Nicholas Scott-Reading and Isabella Egizi to talk about the show Caligula.