Review: Dancing Shoes | A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Oran Mor, Glasgow - Dancing Donny: A legend is born
Updated: 7 hours ago
Comedy drama Dancing Shoes is the latest lunchtime theatre offering from the world famous a play, a pie and a pint Written by Stephen Christopher and Graeme Smith, and directed by PPP's own Artistic Director Brian Logan, Dancing Shoes is the uplifting tale of three men who meet in recovery and form an unlikely friendship.
It's also a play that gives birth to an iconic creation: Dancing Donny! Read my full review of Dancing Shoes here.
Review: Dancing Shoes, Oran Mor, Glasgow | 25 March 2025
Dancing Shoes by Stephen Christopher & Graeme Smith, A Play, A Pie and A Pint 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dancing Shoes tells the story, but definitely not the backstory, of three men who meet at an addiction recovery support group. When Craig (Ross Allan) and Jay (Craig McLean) befriend new group member Donny (Stephen Docherty), the three form a unlikely bond. As they support each other to stay away from alcohol and drugs, they find other ways to spend their time.
Donny is in his sixties and somewhat older than his two new friends, so when Jay always has his phone in his hand when Donny does one of his secret 'stress-relieving dances', he thinks nothing of it. But when 'Dancing Donny' goes viral on the internet, could it spell the end of their friendship, and of their sobriety?
Dancing Shoes is a gorgeous new play that centres around men who have struggled with addiction most of their lives. It never focuses on their past struggles; rather it tells the story of how they forged a new friendship, found joy and hope in their lives, and accidently created an internet legend: Dancing Donny.
The dialogue between the three men is authentic, clever and bitingly funny. Writers Stephen Christopher and Graeme Smith have drawn from their personal experiences of working with recovery groups and prisoners, and that authenticity shines through in the writing. Donny, Jay and Craig's conversations are forthright, sometimes heartbreaking and frequently hilarious.
The characters in Dancing Shoes break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience from the start. In telling us their story, they stop and interrupt each other to discuss how best exactly to tell us their story. It's all played out in front of the audience and it adds to the credibility that what we are witnessing here is simply three friends who want to get their story right. It's all very meta, but it works well and warms the audience to the characters immediately. We're all in it together and we're all are rooting for them to succeed.
The three actors have great chemistry and sharp comic timing. It's heartwarming to observe the blossoming friendship between the generations. But Donny is an isolated, vulnerable man who has lived his whole life with his mother... I was on the edge of my seat willing Jay and Craig to treat him right.
Director Brian Logan ensures that the action flows from the community centre to Donny's flat, to the street and back again with no more than a few plastic chairs for props. With so little staging to work with, the talent of the writers, director and actors does all the heavy lifting here, and with a little bit of imagination from the audience, proves that no more is needed when the material is this good.
The book for Dancing Shoes has just the right mix of shocking realism and a ton of joy. It's a tight, punchy one hour play that left the Play, Pie and Pint audience at Oran Mor on their feet and cheering with glee. It's a story of friendship and hope borne from difficult circumstances. I loved every second of it and I'm certain Dancing Donny is destined to become a Scottish theatre icon. I highly recommend you head to Oran Mor and meet him for yourself ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dancing Shoes is at Oran Mor in Glasgow until Saturday 22nd March 2025 and then transfers to the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. Full listings details are here
Writers Stephen Christopher and Graeme Smith said:
“The idea for Dancing Shoes came from our shared passion for stories about resilience, creativity, and second chances. Inspired by Stephen’s lived experience and Graeme’s work as a creative writing teacher in a Scottish prison, we wanted to write a play that wasn’t about the darkness of addiction or flashbacks to childhood trauma. Instead, we wanted to create something full of hope, joy, and the belief that it’s never too late to start again.
“It is a celebration of the power of creativity and the people who help us find our rhythm. It’s about friendship, community, and the courage to step into the spotlight—no matter how messy things get. Like our first play, The Scaff, it’s a story that blends humour and heartbreak, but this time, we’ve added a little more glitter and a lot more dancing.”
Dancing Shoes dates
Òran Mór, Glasgow
Mon 24 - Sat 29 March, 1pm
£15 - £19.50 (inc food & drink)
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Tue 1 - Sat 5 April, 1pm
£13 (play only), £18.50 (inc food & drink)
Find Lisa in the Theatre on Instagram @lisa_inthetheatre
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