PILATE – THE LOST GOSPELS, PLEASANCE ABOVE, EDINBURGH FRINGE
★★★★
“Caulfield is in imperious form as the proud Soldier of Rome….”
Courtroom dramas are always popular, but few carry the sheer weight of history as Michael Punter’s Pilate – The Lost Gospels, which finds Maxwell Caulfield, best remembered to a generation as Miles Colby in the Dynasty spin-off The Colbys, in imperious form as the proud Soldier of Rome.
Summoned to a pre-trial hearing to give evidence of the events that spring in Jerusalem, which lead to the crucifixion of Jesus and to defend himself against the charge of being ‘addicted to the cross’, he enters to a grand fanfare before the seductive purr of the legendary Juliet Mills, an unseen narrator, sets the scene – Rome in Year 82 of the New Calendar.
From the off, Maxwell cuts a commanding and initially arrogant figure who prowls the stage addressing the audience directly as he speaks. It’s a confidence that later falters and wanes as he recalls his role in proceedings leading up to the first Good Friday.
With nothing more to dress the stage than a Roman standard, a couple of benches, a wooden table and a throne-like ornate wooden chair, the authority of his performance alone is enough to bring those far off times to life.
Director Asaad Kelada ensures the best use of the limited space and further enhances the period vibe through the evocative use of music, while Michael Punter’s script offers an intriguing insight into a much maligned figure, known mostly for his brief involvement in the Passion of Christ.
At 75 minutes, Punter’s solo text is a huge learn and impressive feat of memory. With easy conviction Caulfield regales Pilate’s story from his childhood as the son of a blacksmith, through the many campaigns in which he fought, all the time attesting his allegiance to Rome.
As the story unfolds, the mellifluous tones of Mills return to reset the scene to Judea, in Year 77 of the New Calendar, where we find Pilate contemplating ‘the error of mercy’, an unexpected meeting with the Messiah, and his journey from man of logic to one who submits to tales of miracles.
Throughout, Caulfield is captivating as Pilate, his eyes haunted by his actions as he becomes ever more conflicted. It’s a finely nuanced interpretation of a merciful yet ruthless ruler, that brings a degree of humanity to a figure that, despite his cruelty, it’s hard not to feel sympathy for his situation he finds himself in.
Another Fringe 2026 Must See.
Full details and tickets HERE
