The Long Drop review – Denise Mina’s whisky-soaked tale of triple murder is horribly gripping

The Citizens Theatre in Glasgow is staging "The Long Drop," a play adapted by Linda McLean from Denise Mina's true-crime novel. The production captures the depravity of a notorious triple murder that occurred in Glasgow's Gorbals district. The set design, featuring a faded poster of John Ford's 1956 western "The Searchers," evokes the atmosphere of the novel's whisky-soaked underworld, populated by characters who often adopt the persona of tough, cowboy-like figures. These individuals engage in double-dealing and grandstanding, sometimes resorting to sociopathic violence. The play aims to balance wit and horror in its portrayal of the crime and its unraveling. The original novel by Denise Mina is based on a real-life crime, highlighting the gritty realities of the Gorbals streets.