Review: Wanted by Eleanor Higgins and Bush Productions | Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025

Name: Wanted by Eleanor Higgins
Brand: Bush Productions
Rating: 4 (1 reviews)

Lisa in the theatre
2 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

A real-life criminal history inspires this tale of two queer women who accidentally become small-time criminals. Written and performed by Eleanor Higgins (In PurSUEt), Wanted plays at Underbelly Cowgate at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 24th August.

Wanted by Eleanor Higgins ★★★★☆

review: 16 August 2025 | Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Hold onto your mobile phones! Erica only meant to steal one phone; but then things get out of hand. Set in 2009 in and around London's queer nightclub scene, Wanted follows two girls from opposite sides of the tracks who meet, grow infatuated with one another and then accidentally become small-time criminals. They plan to steal from the rich and give to the poor (that’s themselves). Inspired by their idol Tony Soprano, they progress to taking riskier moves and make a lot of bad decisions.

Based on her own criminal past, Eleanor Higgins' writing is fearless. Her honest and powerful book explores what happens when someone doesn't have any options, when they're angry and overlooked. A beautifully constructed play that reveals itself gradually, Wanted at first appears to be a scrappy, funny, chaotic caper of petty crime and noughties nostalgia, but soon develops with gut-punch after gut-punch as racial, class and gender prejudices are unapologetically exposed.

Wanted is an entertaining fringe theatre play, but it's also an important look at women who become offenders after a lifetime of abuse or neglect. It's the type of play that stays with you long after it ends. And if you can relate to any of the themes personally, which I'm sure like me, many will - it's heartbreaking in its tragic portrayal of that unbreakable, never ending cycle.

The three performers are excellent, all authentic and sympathetic with the material. But writer / performer Eleanor Higgins herself is sensational. What a talent. Wanted is smartly directed by Emily Aboud, with the performers making full use of the Underbelly space to vividly tell their tale.

Just like it's subjects, Wanted is a little messy and the acting off stage doesn't always live up to that onstage. Being the fringe, the props and set could be better, however the use of lighting to signify when Erica (Eleanor) is speaking directly to the audience versus playing a part in a scene, is done very well and helped me keep a track of the various threads being woven.

I'm trying really hard heard not to spoil the play, but the double meaning of the play's title when revealed is brilliant. Then entire script is superb, well directed and performed. A well-deserved nominee of the Edinburgh 2025 Popcorn Awards for bold new writing. ★★★★☆

Wanted is at Underbelly Cowgate at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 24th August.

Wanted by Eleanor Higgins and Bush Productions at Edinburgh Fringe

Writer and performer Eleanor Higgins said:

“For many years I felt shame about a period in my life where I became a small-time criminal. Now, having atoned for my crimes, but still carrying that shame, I have tried to develop an understanding and compassion about what happened and why. I feel it’s important to be part of a dialogue around what drives women to commit crime, how the criminal justice system treats women differently based on things like class and race and then challenge the very systems meant to protect and serve women. I also wanted to address the process of making peace with a murky past and how friendships can bond and unravel. I’m bringing this work to the Fringe as Edinburgh offers a unique space to explore stories. I believe more audiences than expected may have been on both sides of this coin and will enjoy the many shades of grey told in this show”