Writer - Director - Actor

Dugald’s new novel, Second Skin (The follow-up novel to The Lizard), is now out in hardback, paperback, audiobook and Kindle. He is currently writing his third book in the series, ‘Russian Doll’.

Summary:

Five years after witnessing murder on the Aegean island of Paros, Alistair Haston receives a call from Greece, from a man claiming to be his son's grandfather, but Alistair has no knowledge of a son.... until now. Desperate to find out more, Alistair heads to Athens to track down Amara, an ex-girlfriend. On arrival he is ambushed by MI6, who confirm the existence of his son Max, and reveal that he is the target of a kidnap plot by Greek mafia with their eyes on Amara's substantial inheritance. Shaken and determined to find Amara and Max, Alistair reluctantly agrees to help the British and Greek authorities. But there are so many questions to be answered. Is Max really his son? What is the role of Xander, Amara's playboy husband? How involved is Amara's seedy half-brother? Who ultimately can Alistair trust? As the chase to find the kidnappers moves from Athens to Zakynthos, and on to Cyprus, in the searing heat, it dawns on Alistair that this abduction could well be related to that deadly summer on Paros five years previously...

Second Skin, by Dugald Bruce-Lockhart - reviews

Bruce-Lockhart has done it again. A brilliant follow-up to The Lizard – 

Charles Cumming

‘A Graham Greene for today,’ Helen Lederer

Pleasingly brutal… break out the Retsina – The Times

Gripping… terribly good – Daily Express

Haston’s simmering desire for Amara rises off the pages like the heat on a midday beach –Financial Times

Accelerates into a fast and twisty thriller – The Sun

Thrilling espionage… high octane – Sunday Post

A crime cracker… gripping – Crime Monthly

It’s genius and a sinfully good read – Scottish Field

Vivid, fascinating… very stylishly done - Crime Time

Dugald’s debut novel, The Lizard (a suspense thriller set on the Greek Islands in 1988) was published by Muswell-Press in the spring of 2020.

Summary:

1988. Heading to Greece to mend a broken heart, undergraduate Alistair Haston lands a dream job on the island of Paros with all the perks, where his sorrows are soon swept away in a cocktail of hedonistic pursuits. But when the body of a missing tourist is found, the finger of blame turns upon Haston and his world collapses. Forced on the run, on an island with few hiding places and fewer allies, Haston must rely on raw survival instincts if he is to make it out alive.

‘A read-at-a-sitting page-turner’

The Guardian 

‘Written with huge verve, the story twists and turns like a malign serpent’ 

Daily Mail

‘An impressive debut… (a) riotous chase through the glories of the Greek Islands’ 

The Observer

‘Reminiscent of Alex Garland’s The Beach, this is pitch perfect escapism to effortlessly take you away from it all’ 

Living Magazine 

‘You’ll be swept up in the hedonistic pursuits and the sun-drenched world of sex and drugs, compelling you to finish this book in one go’ 

Marie Claire 

‘Wicked, dramatic and dripping in the intensity of summer heat’

Australian Women’s Weekly

‘The heady cocktail of kaleidoscopic plot twists and slick writing make this a sure-fire winner for fans of fast-paced thrillers’ 

LoveReading 

‘This novel is horrible, atmospheric and gripping’ 

The Literary Review 

‘Addictive, the closest thing to Tarantino in book form I’ve read in a long time!’ 

Mainstreet Books 

‘An incredibly gripping tale… I await the sequel with anticipation’

Scottish Field

For the stage:

In the autumn of 2025, Dugald adapted Gerald Durrell’s Gothic horror story, The Entrance, for the stage - under the title of ‘The Shadow in the Mirror’. He also directed a production at The Mill at Sonning Theatre. It was nominated for four Fringe Theatre reviews, including Best Production. It will tour in the autumn of 2027

Reviews for The Shadow in the Mirror

THEATRE WEEKLY ****

Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s adaptation, now playing at The Mill at Sonning, is a gripping psychological thriller that blends gothic horror with cerebral suspense, keeping audiences on edge from start to finish. Set in a decaying French chateau that doubles as a prison, the production’s atmosphere is immediately immersive. Diego Pitarch’s set design is a triumph, evoking both grandeur and claustrophobia, while Natalie Titchener’s costumes lend a timeless elegance that enhances the eerie ambiguity of the narrative. The lighting and sound design (by Mike Robertson and Simon Slater respectively) work in tandem to heighten the tension, with subtle shifts in tone and texture that mirror the protagonist’s descent into uncertainty.

The story follows a bookseller who accidentally unleashes a series of ghostly and psychological events that blur the line between reality and delusion, and faces the guillotine as a result. As secrets unravel and the past refuses to stay buried, the audience is drawn into a chilling confrontation with forces beyond comprehension. Bruce-Lockhart’s direction ensures the pacing never falters, and the storytelling remains taut and compelling throughout.

THE REVIEWS HUB ****

The lighting, sound and set design for The Mill at Sonning’s latest latest show are all award-winningly good. Matched with a first-rate cast and energetic direction, they magically conjure a gripping couple of hours’ entertainment from an evocative, baffling horror story.

LONDON BORN AND BRED *****

This was a five-star production for me. The Shadow in the Mirror is gothic, eerie and beautifully executed – the sort of play that makes you glance over your shoulder as you walk back out into the night. Paired with dinner at The Mill, it’s pretty much the perfect autumn evening out. Maybe book for Halloween as a way of getting your spine-tingling chills. 

ALL THAT DAZZLES ****

Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s adaptation succeeds in translating the chilling nature of the story to the stage, creating a tense and suspenseful production that immerses you in a truly atmospheric production. Full of intrigue, this was a refreshing change of pace for the show’s usually seen at Sonning, proving that a dip in a different genre can match the overall quality they usually pride themselves on, on what regular visitors here will know to be one of my personal favourite venues to visit.

THEATRE AND ARTS REVIEWS ****

As with many Gothic Horror stories, the tension is built up in the narrative and description adding dark chilling “seeds” into the imagination and allowing the audience to picture many of the scenes. For example, we never see the expansive library, although we can picture how far it expands from the descriptions.

Set designer Diego Pitarch sets the scenes through different aspects of the staging. I was particularly intrigued by the large porthole-style door on stage left where the prison guards emerge from, I could imagine the damp mouldy smell associated with the image. The many staircases and portrayal of hidden rooms added to the intrigue of an old family estate. However, no Gothic Horror is complete without excellent lighting and sound design which impact the senses and heighten the suspense of what might and often does happen next. Mike Robertson and Simon Slater bring these two together superbly.

Dugald’s play, The Cage (a one-act, hour long, psychological thriller) was directed by Ricard Baron and produced by the then Chairman of SOLT (Society of London Theatres) Julian Bird, for The Pleasance at the Edinburgh Festival 2010. 

‘Inherently tense… committed performances… the dialogue is cutting and pacy’ –  The Scotsman

‘Richly entertaining’ – The Spectator

‘Spot-on characterisation… Razor-sharp dialogue… this ripping cast carry things off with panache’ – The Stage

‘Awkward humour, sheer drama and a beautifully abrupt ending… There are shades of Denis Kelly's Orphans in the dialogue as meanings are twisted as they are uttered and by involving the audience there is a sense (similar to Ben Elton's Popcorn) that they are complicit in the eventual outcome… Deftly directed by Richard Baron the cast all shine in this edgy contemporary piece’ - British Theatre Guide

‘I was so caught up in the suspense I sensed the palms of my hands sweating…

‘This is contemporary drama at its very best’ – One4review

‘The author, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart is thoroughly engaging as a nasty Nigel Havers-type avenger’ – Whatsonstage

‘The acting was brave and delivered like a smack in the face, full on and intense from each of the three main characters’ – The Public Reviews.com

'The Cage' is bloody funny, quite shocking and probably one of the most darkly enjoyable plays you'll see this Fringe’ – The Three Weeks

Dugald’s second play, Hijacked, is the development of The Cage into a new, full-length piece.

For Film and TV:

Dugald has written a full-length feature film, The Squirrel: a buddy-movie comedy, set in present day London and Ireland – about hapless bachelor, Billy, who incurs the wrath of a criminal mafia gangster after losing a game of poker. Mr Squirrel gives Billy three days to pay what he owes. Recently unemployed and now broke, however, the only source of funds available to him is an inheritance from his grandmother, but on the condition he settles down and ties the knot. Dumped that same afternoon by his fiancée, however, he is fresh out of suitors. Billy has three days to find a wife. 

The script is currently seeking a production house.

In February 2024, Dugald directed the world premiere of ‘Wilko’ by Jonathan Maitland, at The Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch. 

The actor-musician play tells the extraordinary story of iconic guitarist Wilko Johnson, of the 70s band Dr. Feelgood, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013 and given a year to live – but who went on to live a further ten. 

Reviews include: 

‘The great asset in Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s nifty production… is Willis’s stonking central performance’ – The Guardian; 

‘Brilliant’ – The Spectator; 

‘Fond and funny’ - Daily Mail; 

‘Wonderful’ – London Theatre; 

‘A nostalgic celebration of an Essex legend’ – The Guardian

Previous productions Dugald has directed include: The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson, by Jonathan Maitland (UK tour, produced by Glynis Henderson Productions); The Two Gentlemen of Verona, by William Shakespeare (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama); Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama); French Without Tears, by Terrance Rattigan (Italia Conti Drama School); The Art of Success, by Nick Dear (Italia Conti); Natural Selection, by Paul Rigel Jenkins (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama); The Angry Brigade by James Graham (Italia Conti); Jumpy, by April De Angelis (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama); The Lightning Play, by Charlotte Jones (The Central School of Speech and Drama); After the Dance, by Terence Rattigan, (Italia Conti).

As associate director for Edward Hall’s Shakespeare ensemble, Propeller, he directed the revival international productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Errors, The Taming of The Shrew and Twelfth Night.

He has also directed several ‘Pocket Productions’ for Propeller: 1 hour versions of assorted Shakespeare plays which toured to schools and various theatres in the UK and overseas; including Henry V, The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Merchant of Venice.

In 2019 he directed Pigeons, written by Penelope Rawlins for The Camden Fringe Festival at The Hen and Chickens Theatre, in July 2019; starring Marlene Sidaway (of BBC’s Mum TV series) and introducing newcomer Max Fricker, recently graduated from Italia Conti. A touching tale of an unlikely meeting of minds between two random strangers on a lone park bench, Pigeons addresses the fragility of communication in the wake of society’s increasing addiction to social media. 

In 2013 and 2014, he directed two Catalan Shakespeare productions for the Teatre Akademia theatre company in Barcelona (Romeu i Julietta - Romeo and Juliet; and Com Us Plagui – As You Like It) both of which ran for eight weeks to critical acclaim, the former, remaining Time Out’s number one choice for six consecutive weeks.