The apocalypse is so in right now. The streets of Edinburgh seem to be rife with posters advertising shows in dialogue with our impending doom. It’s not hard to see why – a quick check of the news reveals wildfires, war and the increasing rise of authoritarianism. In times like these, it’s artists and writers we turn to make sense of our emotions; though I doubt anyone will be turning to Pete Miller, the titular hero of The Crimes of Pete, whose writing has been deemed so terrible he has been sentenced to death.

This is how we meet our hero; arrested along with two of his literary peers for ‘crimes against literature’ in a not too distant dystopia where a fascist leader has the final say on which writers’ voices should be heard, and which should be purged from the records. Pete’s cellmates are Norman and Natasha – the former being a respected great, the latter a young, yet profound, poet. They both look down on Pete, whose novels, whilst commercial successes, are critically panned. The power dynamic shifts, however, when the prospect of escape arises, and the bumbling Pete is left at the centre of a complex moral conundrum. 

The Crimes of Pete is a tight, fast-paced examination of free-speech, literary critique, and our preoccupation with legacy. It’s anchored by an endearing performance by Freddie Cohen, the star of writer Hughie Shepherd-Cross’s previous outing, Gang Bang, whose mastery of microexpressions and well timed outbursts of desperate anguish keep the audience in stitches throughout. Omar Ibrahim commands the stage as the withering, roguish Norman, whilst Honor Barnes’ Natasha provides some moments of welcome perspective to her prison buddies’ overt masculinity. 

Shepherd-Cross’s script is near-perfect. It’s peppered with great one liners that hit at the crux of the play’s themes (‘We must purge the purge!’ and ‘How can you be smug in a deathcamp?’ being particular standouts). The full scope of human morality in all of its fragility is rendered here, expertly woven between sharp satire that fires with a rifle’s pace. If there is to be anything to complain about here it’s that one wishes the play could’ve gone on for longer – to delve deeper on the subtext and spend more time with these characters would be a treat. 

In a sea of apocalyptic musings, The Crimes of Pete rises to the surface. It doesn’t offer salvation, but it gives you plenty to enjoy while the world burns.

The Crimes of Pete is at Beside at Pleasance Courtyard until Sun 30 Aug 2026