Before his upcoming sojourn in Edinburgh, actor Maxwell Caulfield performed his Fringe-bound one-man show for local audiences at the Alcazar Theatre in Carpinteria. The show, entitled Pilate: The Lost Gospel, offers audiences a deep dive into the life and times of Pontius Pilate, exploring his infamous role in the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. Written by Michael Punter, The Last Gospel sees Pilate in a pre-trial hearing in Rome, preparing to justify his choices during his time in Judea as an arm of the Roman regime.
The story of Christ’s execution and resurrection is generally told in the context of Jesus’s journey from holy man to rabblerouser to martyr to focal point of Christianity. In The Lost Gospel, viewers experience the story from Pilate’s point of view, which frames the situation as an odious mess of politics and bad circumstances. Pilate’s history leading up to his installment as prefect of Judea focusses on the terrible efficiency of the Roman military throughout the massive swatch of their conquered land. When Jesus’s presence raises the hackles of Romans, Jewish religious leaders, and citizens alike, Pilate was motivated to maintain peace in the region. And of all the people in Rome who were punished via crucifixion, what terrible luck it was that the one who became a holy figure in one of the world’s major religions happened to be sentenced by Pilate.
Caulfield, as Pilate, has a commanding voice, and presents a character who prides himself (and the rest of the Roman military) on stoicism and efficacy — yet offers a nuance of exasperation as he explains his position. In its current form, The Last Gospel leans toward biographical presentation rather than engagement with an active conflict, but it’s a nice scene, nonetheless. Good luck to the production at the Fringe!
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