Review: Gravity | A Play, A Pie and A Pint

Name: Gravity (play)
Brand: A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Rating: 3 (1 reviews)

Lisa in the theatre
Nov 12
3 min read

Updated: Nov 19

The penultimate show in A Play, A Pie and Pint's autumn season is Gravity by Kevin P Gilday, directed by Shilpa T-Hyland. This new play about the last resident in a condemned Glasgow tower block has its world premier at Òran Mór, Glasgow this week, running from 10 - 15 November. Read more below.

Elaine Stirrat and Paul Gorman in Gravity at A Play, A Pie and A Pint. Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan — Elaine Stirrat and Paul Gorman in Gravity. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Gravity | A Play, A Pie and A Pint 2025 ★★★☆☆

Review: 11 November 2025, Òran Mór, Glasgow

Liam (Paul Gorman) lives on the top floor of a condemned high-rise tower block in Glasgow. The council want him to leave so that they can finally demolish the building, but Liam threatens to jump out of the window if they don't stop harassing him. Social worker Joanne (Elaine Stirrat) is sent to talk with Liam to assess his mental state and to agree an exit plan with him. But as the building utilities are switched off one by one and the tension in the flat rises, can Joanne convince Liam to leave before tragedy strikes?

This is such a fascinating idea for a play. In recent years many of Glasgow's iconic tower blocks have been levelled, and the stories of those who once lived in them are an irresistible, important part of Glasgow's history. Home to thousands in the past, massive concrete high-rises such as the Red Road flats are now merely ghosts of Glasgow's skyline. Gillian Argo's stage design for Gravity cleverly incorporates photos of some of these brutal buildings into the set, so although the action in Gravity takes place wholly inside Liam's flat, the photos are a constant reminder of the scale of the building that Liam is occupying.

Kevin P Gilday's dark drama tackles poverty, social isolation, mental health, trauma and more, yet it does so with a sensitive hand and a humorous touch. Liam and Joanne's authentic working-class voices, resilience and defiance are bright beacons within the bleak world that they occupy. Their unlikely relationship as they begin to bond over their past lives, losses and love of old films is well-considered and touching.

Gilday's story explores what happens to those who've fallen through the cracks of society and is a heartfelt reminder of the importance of human connection. Shilpa T-Hyland does the best she can in the limited space at Òran Mór and draws strong performances from the cast whose sincere, warm portrayals of complex characters make for an impactful, emotional hour at A Play, A Pie and A Pint. ★★★☆☆

Gravity plays at Òran Mór, Glasgow until 15 November 2025.

Writer Kevin P. Gilday says:

“I'm so excited to introduce everyone to Liam and Joanne in all their beautiful, messy glory. Gravity is a play about the power of connection in an increasingly atomised world, I hope it encourages the audience to consider those important but fragile connections in their own lives.

“Gravity is gritty, working-class, 'social realist' but it's not a dour poverty safari; it's a funny and vibrant look into the real lives of people who have fallen through society's ever-widening cracks and the empathy we need to get through this thing called life - together.”