Folk and fairy tales can become stale or twee, so it’s a joy to see a lively retelling set in contemporary Glasgow. Rubbish is strewn over the bare set as Man tricks his way into a nightclub for magical creatures on the banks of the Clyde. On the verge of being kicked out he tries to persuade a depressed Selkie to pretend to be with him.

The Selkie communicates in British Sign Language (BSL) throughout, but it’s not difficult to understand her feelings, without knowing every exact word she’s signing. Sensing her troubles are worse than his own, they go on a late night adventure through Glasgow’s drunk, noisy, nightlife. They meet the Fates and end up on a long late-night bus journey to an overgrown wood, and journey to a mysterious bay where the Selkie became exiled from the sea. Trusting Man to help her, he has to fight his worst instincts before she can be set free.

When Man remarks that the Selkie is half human, half seal, she corrects him, telling him that she is a whole human, and a whole seal, that she belongs on land, and she belongs on the sea. She can only be herself when she fully belongs to both. Being more than one thing and suffering when it’s not recognised could be the theme of the play. Humans have created towns and cities, but we’re also part of the nature that we pollute and exploit. If we could be fully civilised and fully wild we might cause less damage to ourselves and our fellow creatures.

Emery Hunter and Bobby Bradley, as the Selkie, and Man, respectively, had their own small creatures to deal with in the audience. Possibly thinking that they were about to see a children’s show, a family with a tiny, adorable, but talkative toddler was in the front row. If the performers were thrown by the chatter, they didn’t show it. At one point they even managed to incorporate them into a line about underage night-club goers, and the mite left declaring that it was the best show. It’s a testament to the sparkle in their performances that even someone unlikely to understand the plot was entertained.

The script seamlessly brings an old legend into the modern world. Their relationship feels natural and authentic. Why wouldn’t a Selkie be on Sauchiehall Street? Why wouldn’t a man be wishing on a magic object? Magic is as real as a bevvy. At the very end, there’s a hint of nostalgia for all the old folk tales that rarely get told for adults, but this goes a long way in reviving the tradition.

‘Dregs‘ is at Scottish Storytelling Centre – Netherbow Theatre until Sun 24 Aug 2025 at 13:30