Review: Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! | A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Glasgow

Name: Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin!
Brand: A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Rating: 3 (1 reviews)

Lisa in the theatre
Oct 29
4 min read

Éimi Quinn's latest play takes pride of place as A Play, A Pie and A pint's Halloween special this year. Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! is directed by 'Bard in the Botanics' Associate Director Jennifer DIck, and runs at Glasgow's Òran Mór for one week only, Monday 27 October - Saturday 1 November. Read my review below.

Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! ★★★☆☆

A Play, A Pie and A Pint's Halloween special this year is a dark comedy play from acclaimed Glasgow playwright Éimi Quinn. Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! follows the antics of Lisa (Éimi Quinn) and her Aunt Sandra (Isabelle Joss) as they try to get away with murder.

As the play begins, we learn that Lisa and Sandra have killed Lisa's husband in their Springburn flat. This isn't a 'who done it?' - we know they're guilty from the off. Rather Quinn takes a fresh approach to the comedy drama genre and focuses on the anxiety filled hours following the murder as the pair attempt to cover their tracks by putting the body out in a wheelie bin in time for bin day.

It's impressive that the team here use a real, bulky Glasgow Council wheelie bin. They so easily could've gone with a cardboard prop. But hauling a real bin around the stage provides one of the comedy highlights of the play as Éimi Quinn tussles with the seemingly haunted bin in a brilliant piece of physical comedy.

The play does have a light spooky scene, enhanced by Ross Nurney's excellent sound and lighting effects, but the majority of the 60 minutes is a chaotic dark comedy that unfolds as Lisa and Sandra navigate the practicalities of concealing a body while constantly being interrupted by a nosey neighbour, the gas man and Lisa's wannabe mystical medium cousin, Mark.

All three 'outsider' characters are played by the always brilliant Gavin Jon Wright and the play is funnier for having him double up (treble up) on these roles as he dashes between quick changes and scenes; director Jennifer Dick ensuring the audience are always in on the joke..

Quinn's writing is, as always, full of sharp, playful observations about working-class Glasgow life, and the dialogue between the characters flows naturally. The epic swearing and dark, dry humour of Quinn's book is brought to life beautifully by the strong cast, their impeccable comic timing and director Jennifer Dick's skillful hand.

A lighthearted play at heart, there's also an undertone of something darker as the characters hint at the dead husband's abusive nature and writer Éimi Quinn herself sympathetically portrays a long-suffering, mistreated wife. It's a great way to ensure that the audience are always on Lisa and Sandra's side as they carry out their bloody plan.

Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! does run out of steam a little in the second half - it seems to take a while to reach the resolution - and for a Halloween special with the word 'haunted' in the title, I would've liked it to be a bit spookier, but it's nonetheless a well written and directed comedy play, with a great cast and a real bin! Loads of fun for Halloween week at Òran Mór. ★★★☆☆

Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! plays at Òran Mór, Glasgow until Saturday 1 November 2025. Jump to full listings here

Isabelle Joss and Éimi Quinn in Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! at A Play, A Pie and A Pint. Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan — Isabelle Joss and Éimi Quinn in Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Éimi Quinn, Writer and star of Hauns Aff Ma Haunted BIn! says:

“I’m so excited to be back at A Play, A Pie and A Pint. It’s been such a joy to write, full of daft, ridiculous chaos that will make for pure Halloween ghostie mayhem.

“As with my previous two plays, it’s proudly working class and thoroughly Glaswegian. I love writing plays inspired by the voices of the people I grew up with in Springburn and Maryhill, and grateful to A Play, A Pie and A Pint for making space for stories and voices like mine, to be able to represent these often overlooked communities.

“Whilst this is a bonkers comedy, I’m always keen to mix laughter with something more serious, and this play does touch upon on domestic abuse and the the lasting impact it can have. It’s not something to make light of and I care deeply about portraying it with honesty and care, and believe comedy is a way to start conversations that we’re often too afraid to face head on.”

MORE: Find the full list of plays and more info about A Play, A Pie and a Pint's 2025 Autumn season here

MORE: Reviews from A Play, A Pie and A Pint productions on Lisa in the Theatre here

MORE: Scottish and UK Theatre news and reviews like this on Lisa in the Theatre here