Review: Cry/Laugh at A Play, A Pie and A Pint | Òran Mór Glasgow

Lisa in the theatre
1 hour ago
3 min read

The penultimate show in A Play, A Pie and A pint's Spring season at Òran Mór in Glasgow is Cry/Laugh by Nay Dhanak. Read my review of this creative, absurd comedy below.

Cry/Laugh at A Play, A Pie and A Pint ★★★☆☆

Review: 16 June 2026 | Òran Mór, Glasgow

You never know what you're going to get at A Play, A Pie and A Pint, and this week's premiere Cry/Laugh is up there with one of the most bizarre pieces of theatre I've ever seen.

Written by PPP producer Nay Dhanak in their professional playwriting debut, Cry/Laugh follows a medieval Court Jester and a Town Crier as they are transported to the present day and have to reacclimatise to our strange new world.

Things start strongly this week in the Òran Mór basement as the audience takes their seats and eat their pies to a lively pre-show playlist of contemporary tunes played in a medieval style. And then, in a touch of genius, the town crier interrupts the usual PPP health and safety, pre-show preamble with his loud, booming, eager voice. It sets the tone for the play perfectly.

Once the show starts in earnest, it becomes a little awkward, however. It takes a few moments for the over-the-top tone of the absurdist comedy to find its rhythm.

In medieval times, a Town Crier (James Peake) and a Court Jester (Morven Blackadder) have both lost their jobs working for the King and have set out on various quests. They explain just how that came to be, complete with a list of rules for living in medieval times (don't talk to dragons, etc.), some background on what their jobs entail, and a storyboard of tips on how to successfully tell a funny story.

Unfortunately, it takes 45 minutes to get through this piece and to arrive at the hook of the play, that is, The Crier and The Jester time-travel to 2026 and find themselves in a strange future.

Once our duo arrive in 2026, there's about 20 minutes or so of them coming to terms with digital information overload and a world filled with many kings (celebrities.) Dhanak's play is bursting with curious creativity and clever metaphors, such as the King being a puppet.

The characters are horrified to find that there's no need for Court Jesters and Town Criers in the future: everyone is a Court Jester and a Town Crier! (TV & social media) It's such a fun concept with endless opportunities for comedy and analogies, but the story does meander too much for the one-hour lunchtime slot, and it has too many endings.

Cry/Laugh is so silly, but James Peake and Morven Blackadder both throw themselves into their roles with incredible, unapologetic energy and enthusiasm. Co-directors Brian Logan and Ben Standish do an excellent job of making the 70-minute two-hander interesting, with constant motion and visual gags. But not everything lands, and the awkward vibe endures throughout.

What does work unequivocally, however, is James Peake's outstanding performance. His funny, quick-witted Town Crier is expertly cast, and his seemingly off-the-cuff remarks are the highlight of the show. Peake was born to play the role of an intense, unhinged town crier. What a shift he puts in.

Nay Dhanak has a unique, compelling, and thought-provoking idea in Cry/Laugh, but it feels as if they have more to say and more ideas to explore than can be comfortably squeezed into the run-time permitted here. It's brave to present something so wildly different to the Glasgow audience, and while the risk doesn't always pay off, the creativity is unrivalled. ★★★☆☆

See Cry/Laugh at Òran Mór, Glasgow, until Saturday 20 June.

Next week's PPP, the final show of the season, is the brilliant Crocodile Rock by Andy McGregor starring Darren Brownlie. Find out more about this LGBT Scottish musical here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/crocodile-rock-2026-news

MORE: Also playing in Glasgow's theatres this week

Miss Saigon at the King's until Sat 20 June. Read my review here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/miss-saigon-uk-tour-review

The Long Drop at the Citizens until Sat 20 June. Read my review here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/the-long-drop-play-review

My Romantic History by Tron Theatre Company at community venues across Glasgow until 27 June. Read my review here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/my-romantic-history-review