'Treason is treason is treason. It's just the optics. It doesn't help the story we're telling.'

5th November 1605. London. A plot foiled. A trial imminent. A story rewritten.

Two brothers stand accused of high treason for a plot they bet their lives to pull off. And on the other side of the Thames, a playwright weaves their story into a new masterpiece to save his own skin.

The Plot is a daring, playful and quick-witted show about the power of great stories, and those who wield them. Emma Howlett's play premiered at Summerhall during the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

'Emma Howlett is a superstar… the most exciting new auteur in theatre' London Standard



Emma Howlett is Artistic Director of award-winning company theatregoose. Her other work as both writer and director includes Aether, Her Green Hell and Sisters Three. She was named one of The Stage's Fringe Five in 2025.



'A thrillingly smart riff on conspiracy, spin and Shakespeare... Remember, remember the name Emma Howlett. She is going places'



'Slick and spellbinding... an alluring foray into the power of story'