The show everyone will be talking about this June

Adapted from Denise Mina’s acclaimed novel and brought to the stage by award-winning playwright Linda McLean, The Long Drop plunges audiences into one of the darkest and most fascinating chapters of Glasgow’s history. Directed by Citizens Theatre Artistic Director Dominic Hill, the production combines psychological thriller, pitch-black comedy and gripping drama in a story that continues to haunt the city almost 70 years after the events that inspired it.

At the centre of the production is a commanding performance from Glasgow-born actor Brian Vernel, who takes on the challenging role of Peter Manuel. 

Known to audiences around the world through his work in Gangs of London, Slow Horses, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Kingdom and Dunkirk, Vernel describes the role as unlike anything he has tackled before.  “Everyone has heard the name,” Vernel told the Glasgow Times. “Everyone has a story about Peter Manuel.”

Vernel has spoken about the responsibility of portraying a figure whose crimes remain within living memory for many Scottish families. He has also emphasised that the production never loses sight of the devastating impact of Manuel’s actions, even as it explores the rumours, contradictions and unanswered questions surrounding the case. 

Opposite Vernel, acclaimed stage actor Keith Fleming delivers William Watt, a man struggling to clear his name while navigating a dangerous relationship with the very man suspected of destroying his family. 

Together, they lead an exceptional seven-strong ensemble cast featuring Andy Clark, Martin Donaghy, George Drennan, Mary Gapinski and Robert Jack. The company takes on a remarkable range of roles, bringing 1950s Glasgow vividly to life around the central drama. The scale and ambition of the ensemble has been highlighted repeatedly in recent press coverage, with critics and theatre writers mentioning the production’s combination of star power and outstanding Scottish theatre talent. 

For Denise Mina, whose acclaimed novel inspired the production, The Long Drop was never simply a story about a serial killer. It is a story about competing versions of the truth: the myths a city creates, the rumours it passes down, and the unanswered questions that linger long after a case is closed.  Of the night William Watt and Peter Manuel met, Denise told The Sun: “Nobody really knows what happened that night. But they had a lot to discuss.”

Linda McLean’s script balances tension, humanity and unexpected humour, telling The Scotsman, “There are deliberately humorous moments“. While the play confronts the horror of Manuel’s crimes, it also paints a vivid portrait of post-war Glasgow and the people who inhabited it.

The result is a richly atmospheric drama filled with smoky pubs, whispered secrets, gangsters, half-truths and larger-than-life characters – a Glasgow story in every sense of the word.

With First Look performances beginning tonight and tickets already limited for several dates, there’s only a short window to experience what is already one of the most talked-about Scottish productions of the year.  

The Long Drop runs at the Citizens Theatre from 05 – 20 June.