Hughie

In the first few moments after emerging from the musty Arches studio theatre, the city has a tawdry, unwelcoming feel.

After spending an hour in the company of professional gambler Eerie Smith in the lobby of a New York hotel, any glamorous associations that the occupation or the city bring are gradually worn away, replaced by harsh realities.

If the key to being a successful gambler is the ability to keep things to oneself - cards, emotions, racing tips - then Smith's revealing ramblings offer a few clues as to why he's living in a second-rate hotel, and hanging out with the night porter rather than one of the many attentive dolls (or, in an unguarded moment, tramps) that he's so fond of mentioning.

There are signs that he's becoming weary of his own cynicism - he dismisses the notions of love and romance while desperately bragging that women believe he's still under 40. Despite his name, actor Benny Young is old enough for this to clearly be wishful thinking on his character's part. He inhabits the role convincingly, portraying a fatigued but sharp misfit clinging to the certainty that those with conventional lives, jobs and families are nothing more than suckers.

Charlie Hughes is new to the porter's job - he's the latest replacement for the title character, whose funeral Smith attended before embarking on a bender lasting several days and nights. Compelled to remain at his post, he's a captive audience, though it's unclear at times whether he's listening, sleeping or simply enduring the anecdotes that are thrown his way.

Hughie is a vivid character study, but it's not too surprising that this is its Scottish premiere. Andy Arnold's production is almost entirely static, with a puzzling prologue and an abrupt conclusion. However, as an introduction to the famously troubled American writer Eugene O'Neill, it's certainly worth a look.