Almost 70 years after his execution, Peter Manuel remains one of Scotland's most infamous serial killers. Known as the 'Beast from Birkenshaw', Manuel terrorised Lanarkshire and south-east Glasgow, murdering nine people between 1956 and 1958. Now, his chilling story is being staged at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre in a new production titled The Long Drop.
Play Details
The play premieres on June 5 and runs until June 20. Adapted from Denise Mina's acclaimed novel by award-winning playwright Linda McLean, the production focuses on the disturbing relationship between Manuel and William Watt, whose family were among his victims. On September 17, 1956, Manuel shot dead Watt's wife, daughter and sister-in-law at their home in Burnside. Watt was initially treated as a suspect before being released.
Plot and Themes
The official description reads: 'Glasgow, 1957. A family destroyed. A man who insists he knows why.' The story unfolds through whisky-soaked confessions and half-truths, leading to one of Scotland's most infamous trials. Director Dominic Hill describes it as a 'darkly stylish descent into the heart of a city'. The play blends true crime, psychological thriller and pitch-black comedy.
Cast and Production
Brian Vernel, known for Slow Horses and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, plays Manuel. Keith Fleming, returning to Citizens Theatre for his 19th collaboration with Hill, plays Watt. The production explores Manuel's criminal history, from early thefts to the hammer attack that led to his first imprisonment at age 15, and the five-week killing spree after his 1957 release that claimed five more lives.
Historical Context
Manuel was convicted of seven murders and hanged at Barlinnie Prison on July 11, 1958, becoming one of the last men executed in Scotland before capital punishment was abolished in 1965. The play offers a gripping new perspective on this dark chapter of Scottish criminal history.
Tickets range from £12 to £36.50. Performances are at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, from June 5 to June 20.
