Edinburgh Fringe 2026 - Spotlight On: Mortal Sin

This 'Edinburgh Fringe - Spotlight On' series takes a look at the shows I will be reviewing at this year's festival and a 5-question Q&A with the creative teams.

📸 Image Credit: Daniel Byrne

Synopsis: JFK'S been shot and Colm and Peggy want a day off school. Sure, they got one when the Pope died? 

Follow two best friends as they stage a protest to honour the slain U.S president. A bold, heartfelt and hilarious exploration of growing up different in an Ireland where the church controls everything from the classroom to confession. 

Mortal Sin is ultimately a celebration of friendship; a small but defiant stand against the shame that shaped a generation. 

Colm and Peggy stick it to the man... well, Sister Assumpta anyway!

Q&A with Benjamin Reilly (Writer)

Q: What inspired you to create this show?

A: The show is a fictionalised version of real events in rural Ireland in 1963! It was inspired by a story my mum was telling my aunt in the wee hours of the night/morning after a bottle (or 2) of red wine. She prefaced the tale with “now THIS should be a play

Q: What makes this show unique or different from other shows at the fringe?

A: I think queer-Irish storytelling has a unique bite to it that you don’t really find anywhere else! It’s a niche story with a universal heart.

Q: Is there a particular theme, message, or idea behind the show that you hope audiences take away with them?

A: I think it’s interesting to see what the American dream once was, what being on the precipice of social progress felt like, and how it seems that social pendulum may be swinging back to where it once was.

Q: If you could describe your show in three words, what would they be?

A: Feck Sister Assumpta!!

Q: What can audiences expect when they come to see the show at Edinburgh Fringe?

A: A fast paced, good craic, coming of age comedy with a dram of heartbreak.

Mortal Sin is at Wee Room at Gilded Balloon Teviot from 5th to 31st August at 12:20pm.