Twelve writers, twelve plays, twelve directors, twelve casts – twelve weeks of lunchtime theatre in the heart of the West End Glasgow at Oran Mor.

What a brilliant idea. Plays at lunchtime, short enough to skip out during your lunch hour for something to eat along with a bit of entertainment, early enough to while away the afternoon in the west end if you don’t have to go back to work, original enough idea to generate interest, impressive line-up… in fact there is just about everything going for the idea….

Today I joined some friends on Byres Rd for the opening of Week 3 of the ‘A play, a pie & a pint’ series at Oran Mor. The play was Leather Bound by Chris Dolan. All the credentials were there, Scottish screenwriting bursary, short listed for the Saltire Prize, Canongate Prize for Journalism – the list goes on – in fact the play was quite good, judging by the laughs in the audience, it was also extremely funny (I wouldn’t know – the Glaswegian accent was too strong for me, I only caught every 2nd word…). The actors were good, the time was good, the staff were kind and attentive, the wine was good (I chose a glass of white over a pint). The only thing lacking was the meal. Now I know it is supposed to be a pie, and a pie is a pie, but really – a pie on a plate on it’s own? Just a few mouthfuls of salad on the side, on a nice plate (my pie was served on a saucer) would have made all the difference, it would have been considered ‘lunch’! As it was I came home and made myself a sandwich – I was still hungry….

From the press I’ve read to date, during the first week the pie was served with new potatoes and a fully dressed salad, in fact, most of the press states that “a play with a lunchbox of a pie, a pint and other treats thrown in“.

I don’t know what they mean by other treats, but I didn’t get any. Certainly a little salad, or a varied treat would help win me over.

I had a great time, I always do when I go out with the girls – but I’d like to be able to say that it was a great lunchtime idea – and it is, and it was, but you know – a bit more work on the pie and I’ll give it another go next week…