Writer: Cormac Myles
Director: Cormac Myles
Assistant Director: Lex Madden
More “full-fat” than semi-skimmed! BlackWire makes an arresting debut with Semi-Skimmed, a one-act dark comedy that expertly balances the mundane reality of small-town life with a creeping, supernatural dread. Set against the backdrop of the Scottish countryside, the play follows Harri and Bridget as they return to a significant spot in the woods to find closure following the disappearance of their friend, Kai.
Writer and director Cormac Myles successfully transforms the setting into a space that feels simultaneously cosy and unsettling. As Bridget (Rebecca Conway) prepares to escape to university in Sheffield, Harri (Evan Elliott) remains tethered to a town he has no means of leaving. The production perfectly captures the friction of a friendship being stretched to its breaking point, further complicated by Harri’s obsession with the “Falkirk Triangle” — a local hotspot for supernatural activity, inherited from his father’s own attachment to local folklore.
The production excels in leaving the audience with more questions than answers, creating a fascinating rabbit hole of suspicion. Is Kai dead? Did his friends play a part? The arrival of the mysterious May (Kady Smith) sends the narrative into a tailspin. Smith’s performance is brilliantly uneasy; she appears to know far more than she should, leading the audience to wonder if Bridget’s version of the truth is as “semi-skimmed” as the title suggests.
All three performances are splendid. Conway is a phenomenal talent, anchoring the emotional stakes of the piece, while Elliott evokes genuine sympathy as the friend left behind, trapped by a lack of family and finances. Smith provides the chilling presence, especially when returning drenched in blood and clutching a knife. The ambiguity of her action, and whether her talk of ‘killing cows’ is a dark joke or a thin veil for something more sinister, keeps the tension high well beyond the final bow.
Jamie Lindley’s lighting and sound design are highly effective, utilising flickering lights and distorted audio to signal May’s presence and potential supernatural interference. These technical flourishes ensure the atmosphere remains thick with unease. While the script leaves several threads hanging, it does so intentionally, inviting the viewer to obsess over the details long after the lights go down. BlackWire is certainly a new Scottish company to watch.
Reviewed on 18 April 2026
