August 1939, Scotland. On the eve of war, two young scientists are sent by the government to study bird life on a remote island. Accompanied by Kirk, the island’s leaseholder, and his niece Ellen, the two men find themselves privately competing for Ellen’s affection. However, their hidden desire is not the only secret haunting the Outer Hebridean rock. As tension builds between the island’s four inhabitants, the scientists soon uncover the horrifying truth behind their mission.

Inspired by a covert operation during the Second World War, David Greig‘s play explores a society on the edge of immense change. Twenty years on from its Olivier Award-nominated premiere, Jessica Lazar directs this thrilling drama that remains as unsettling and thought-provoking as ever.