A Play, A Pie and A Pint: Badhbh-Shith and the Storytellers, Oran Mor, Glasgow. Wednesday 28th October, 2026

You never know who might be lurking in a bothy…

Sorcha and Evander have a mountain to conquer, but when a Hebridean storm descends, they are forced to take shelter in a lonely bothy. They decide to pass the time telling grim stories from Scottish folklore.

But bothies are unusual places. You never, never know who else might be there…as the pair soon find out.

This year’s Halloween special, Badhbh-Shìth and the Storytellers, is a new folk horror by Kenny Boyle (Righ Iasgair: The Fisher King) that tells some of the most enduring stories from Scotland’s rich folklore, whilst weaving one of its own.

We arrived about ten minutes before the doors opened, and waited at the bar. There wasn't much of a queue. After we were allowed downstairs, we ordered our drinks, picked up our pies, and took our seats. We chose aisle seats in the fourth row because the ladies in front were small. The show was busy but not sold out, so we had plenty of room.

After the show started, I struggled to keep my eyes open thanks to too many late nights. The intermittent Gaelic dialogue threw me at first, making me question my hearing. The play seemed to be about stories and felt dry at first as we got to know the two characters. Evander, played by Kenny Boyle (also the play's author) had a bleeding cut on his forehead, which hadn't been explained (or I may have dozed through the explanation).

I forced myself to stay awake during the story about the badhbh-shith, since that's in the title. And I'm glad I did, as the play suddenly picked up speed. The plot twist was well managed, and the play ended with a wonderful cliffhanger. 

These short plays are a wonder and priced so keenly. The audience was quite mixed, from students to pensioners. I spotted one trick I hadn't noticed last time. Frequent attendees put their coats on their seats, then go get their drinks and food. But instead of returning to their seats, they use the tabled booths at the side to dine in comfort. Clever clogs. 

 Ticket Price: £17.50  x 2 & booking fee £4.36 = £39.36 from Universe