Review: The Long Drop (play) by Denise Mina at Citizens Theatre, Glasgow | An irresistible, dark and grizzly drama.
- Lisa in the theatre
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
A new stage adaptation of true crime novel The Long Drop by Denise Mina plays at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre until Saturday 20 June. Read my review of this superb psychological thriller below.
The Long Drop (play) ★★★★☆
Review: 11 June 2026 | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
True crime fans rejoice! The Citz' staging of The Long Drop - a novel by one of Scotland's best crime writers Denise Mina - is an irresistible, dark and grizzly, Glasgow drama.
Adapted for the stage by award-winning Scottish playwright Linda McLean and directed by the Citizens' Artistic Director Dominic Hill, The Long Drop depicts one of the most famous criminal trials in Scottish history - that of serial killer Peter Manuel.
The Long Drop begins in 1958 at Barlinnie prison, the night before Peter Manuel (Brian Vernel) is due to be hanged for his crimes. (The titular 'Long Drop' being the execution method.) We then flashback to one night, the year before, which Manuel spent in a pub with William Watt (Keith Fleming), the husband and father of three of his victims.
Although Peter Manuel - also known as the "Beast of Birkenshaw" - is accused of many other crimes, The Long Drop focuses mostly on the murders of Watt's family. A crime which came to be known as The Burnside Murders.
William Watt himself was the police's prime suspect in the case, despite him being 90 miles away fishing at the time. In an effort to clear his name, Watt tracked down Peter Manuel - a crooked character who had been boasting about knowing "who did it" - to a bar in the Gorbals, in the South Side of Glasgow, just around the corner from The Citizens Theatre.
As Peter Manuel and an increasingly drunk William Watt drink the night away - Keith Fleming giving one of the best, most credible depictions of a drunk character I've ever seen on stage - we're introduced to the 1950s Glasgow underworld and the gangsters and dodgy characters that inhabit it. Over an evening of whisky, cigarettes, violence, threats, gossip and half-truths, a dark tale of horrific murder and duplicity unfolds.
The Burnside Murders
In reality, Peter Manuel was convicted of The Burnside Murders, but a theory endures that he was paid to kill Watt's wife, Marion, by mutual associates acting on the orders of William Watt himself. Linda McLean and Dominic Hill's fast-paced play cleverly explores the tangled web of possibilities, letting the audience decide for themselves whether the word of the Law or the word on the streets is correct.
The gripping story unfolds via Manuel's trial at the High Court in Glasgow; the brilliant ensemble cast playing various witnesses and barristers. Peter Manuel was one of the first defendants to sack his lawyer and defend himself in court, meaning that many of the witnesses in the case were forced to come face to face with Manuel himself.
Brian Vernel's cold, manipulative Peter Manuel is utterly chilling. While Mary Gapinski is sensational as his devoutly religious mum who refuses to be fooled by him.
As Manuel cross-examines and tries to discredit each witness, including Willian Watt, a rich, compelling true crime story is revealed. It's clear why Denise Mina was drawn to explore the lore and the Citizens' Theatre to dramatise it.
Jen McGinley's rustic, naked stage could be any Gorbals bar, any Glasgow living room, any courtroom, while Stuart Jenkin's lighting creates a tense, moody atmosphere with a confident use of light and shadows. At the centre of the stage, a long swinging microphone never lets us forget the looming, swinging rope that awaits Peter Manuel. It's a clever and stylish set-up by the Citz creative team.
The Long Drop is a dark, unsettling courtroom drama that takes us out of the court and into the local Gorbals pubs and Glasgow streets. This is a play about Glasgow, staged in the very area where the action took place. It's full of grit, horror and surprisingly, plenty of laughs too. Though it never makes light of the crimes nor loses focus of the very real victims.
Showcasing an outstanding central performance by Brian Vernel that's sure to send shivers down your spine, The Long Drop is a superb psychological thriller laced with pitch-black comedy. Whose story do you believe? ★★★★☆
The Long Drop plays at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre until Saturday 20 June 2026.
MORE: Read the full cast announcement for The Long Drop here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/the-long-drop-play-cast-citizens-theatre
MORE: Also playing in Glasgow's Theatres this week:
My Romantic History at the Tron. Read my review here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/my-romantic-history-review
Miss Saigon at the King's. Read my review here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/miss-saigon-uk-tour-review
The Hen Night at A Play, A Pie and A Pint at Oran Mor. Read my review here:
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