The Long Drop at Citizens Theatre, Glasgow Review
Photography: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Written by Julia for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
In 1950s Glasgow, a man swears his innocence in the gruesome murder of his wife, sister-in-law, and young daughter, leaning on evidence supposedly in the possession of a brooding stranger with whom he shares a long night of whiskey-soaked exchanges and twisting revelations. The Long Drop is LindaMcLean’s astute adaption of acclaimed Scottish crime author Denise Mina’s novel of the same name. Set in a fluid array of smokey bars, underground clubs, family parlours and courtroom examinations, this sleek production is a deliciously envisioned Glaswegian noir. Jen McGinley’s set is the perfect backdrop for the almost hypnotic movement between sworn testimony and midnight liaisons. The well-dressed collection of instruments tucked into the back corner and played by a rotating range of the actors is an especially atmospheric touch, the dread-inducing drum beats and eerie, chalky piano notes rounding out the old-school noir vibe to great effect. A microphone swinging over centre-stage completes the sonic landscape whilst also acting as an ever-present visual reminder of the man who may hang by the time this is all through.
The Long Drop’s ensemble cast navigates a complex web of time and space with disturbing clarity, mothers in one moment and barristers in the next. When the show teeters on running beyond the limit of its intrigue, the never-ending line of half-truths, corrupt speakers, and unreliable storytellers keeps the audience on shaky ground until the very last moment. Brian Vernel is especially menacing as Peter Manual, a dark and charismatic figure who may or may not know more about the murders than he lets on. Even when he is only lurking at the edges of the action, he demands attention lest he slip into the shadows without warning.
Tonally, The Long Drop strikes an impressive balance between bleak melodrama and biting gallows humour. Fans of crime drama and classic noir will no doubt eat it up by the spoonful. Those less inclined to the genre, however, may find its heavily formulaic plot and reliance on violence against women as a narrative device somewhat tired. And indeed, it is potentially worth considering what such stories, even as well-staged as period pieces as The Long Drop is, have to offer us now, and whether the answer of ‘entertainment’ justifies sensationalising the sort of men for whom women’s murder is something to be casually discussed over liquour and cigars. Either way, the Citizens has served up a drizzly, depraved murder case set against a city’s seedy underbelly for the summer, and it has certainly realised the stylish aesthetic it boasts.
★★★★