But for all its quiet intensity the play as a whole never quite catches fire the way you hope it might.
David Horan's production, though, still looks distinctly tentative and unrehearsed, with only Rhodri Lewis as the catering man fully in command of the text; my guess is that by the time it arrives at the Traverse in a couple of weeks, this will be a four-star show, and then some.
The new collaboration with Paines Plough promises much but In The Pipeline seems a little insubstantial.
The idea is bright, but the reality is distracting.
Although well-acted, with some beautiful phrasing used throughout, Horan’s production is let down by the script’s simple but underdeveloped plot.
A Play, a Pie and a Pint, Glasgow from Monday September 6, 2010, until Saturday September 11, 2010. More info: http://playpiepint.com
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from Tuesday September 28, 2010, until Saturday October 2, 2010. More info: www.traverse.co.uk