Brian Logan on his plans for A Play, A Pie and A Pint

“It’s not as much as we asked for,” says Logan, “but it’s good. We can work with it.” Even more important to Logan, though, is the sheer thrill on being back in Scotland, and working on a theatre initiative – founded by the late, great David MacLennan of 7:84 Scotland and Wildcat, and celebrating its 21st anniversary this year – that he believes is unique, not only in UK theatre but world-wide: at least 30 new short plays a year, presented every week during the spring and autumn seasons, and served up at lunchtime, along with a pie, and a drink of your choice.

“I really could bore you with how enthusiastic I am about it,” says Logan. “Uniquely, in an age when most artistic directors spend most of the time saying “no”, A Play, A Pie And A Pint is the company where you get to say “yes” at least 30 times a year, and where you’re absolutely compelled to spend most of your time putting on shows. It’s an absolute phenomenon, and I think everyone who cares about theatre in Scotland – or theatre anywhere – should be evangelising about how great and transformative it is, and banging the drum for it, non-stop.”

And Logan knows what he’s talking about, when he makes these comparisons; because in the 33 years since he left his home in Newport-on-Tay to head for university in London, he has forged a unique career himself, combining the worlds of arts journalism – he is still one of the Guardian’s lead comedy reviewers – and theatre-making. His last theatre job in London was with Camden People’s Theatre, which he ran for 13 years between 2011 and 2024; but when he heard that Jemima Levick was leaving A Play, A Pie And A Pint to become artistic director at the Tron, he realised that this was the chance he had been searching for, to return to Scotland.

“For all the years I’ve been in London,” says Logan, “I think I’ve been a bit wistful about what was going on in Scotland, and sightly miffed that I wasn’t part of it. It’s been such a rich and tumultuous time in Scotland, since I Ieft in the early 90’s, and it’s been tantalising and frustrating not to be able to contribute to what’s been a tremendously active and creative period for the arts and theatre here.

“So yes, despite all the logistical difficulties, I am hoping to move my whole family to Scotland, and base myself here in future,” says Logan, who has three school-age children in London. “I think Scotland is a great place for kids to grow up, and I also still have family here, so I’m really pleased to be back.

“And as for the creative scene here – well, in the season press release I did use the words “kid” and candy shop”, and I have found the process of putting this season together incredibly energising and exciting. There’s a spectacular level of variety in the season – everything from mini-musicals and fast-talking comedies to hard-edged plays about social issues like baby-farming.

“And the range of settings is incredible. As well as plays in and about Scotland, we’ve got work set in Sri Lanka, Morocco, Iran and ancient Greece; and there’s a bit of an Italian theme running, with Jo Farrell’s brilliant Scots version of Dario Fo and French Rame’s Mistero Buffo – last performed by Robbie Coltrane, back in 1990 – and a new Jonny And The Baptists show called Hell, based on Dante’s Inferno.”

Logan’s first season is set to begin with a salvo of plays mostly by relatively new writers, although some more familiar names appear in later weeks; and the first seven will transfer immediately to the Traverse in Edinburgh, with the Gaiety in Ayr and the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen also co-presenting shows this season. The opening play is a second Play, Pie And Pint dark comedy by brilliant young actress and writer Eimi Quinn; and the early part of the season also includes a new comedy by Stephen Christopher and Graeme Smith – whose play The Scaff was one of last year’s major Play, Pie, Pint hits – which Logan will direct himself.

“I know Scottish theatre has been through a difficult time in the last couple of years,” says Logan, “with major funding uncertainties, and a great deal of stress. At the level where people are actually making work, though, and developing ideas, I don’t sense any despondency or lack of creative energy, and that fills me with optimism, and a sense of possibility. We can’t tell writers what to write about, of course; I’ve had to press a slight pause button on plays about the impact of the internet and social media on people’s lives, because we’re now seeing so many of them, and that’s fair enough.

“But I want A Play, A Pie And A Pint to be a place where people come for exactly that sense of live connection that the online world can’t provide. And I want us to have a voice in Scotland’s public life, as an arena where people can share ideas alongside other people; and think and dream about the future, together.”

The Play, Pie and Pint spring season opens at Oran Mor, Glasgow, on 24 February, and at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, on 4 March