With the help of the great Johnny McKnight, Forbes Masson and I brought our 1995 BBC2 sitcom The High Life to the stage as a musical, a co-production between the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep.
We opened in Dundee and toured to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Glasgow.
I hosted several n conversation events at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, with Ian Rankin, Lulu
I performed my show Uncut (with Henry Koperski on the keys) at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert CA, the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown NJ, and at the Parx Casino in Bensalem PA.
I appeared on the Jennifer Hudson show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Today show, the Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Late Night with Seth Meyers, the Today Show, Watch What Happens Live, Hot Ones and a variety of other red carpet and podcast appearances too.
“My first season of programmed work as Artistic Director in 2026 also happens to be the 75th anniversary of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s founding by a man named John Stewart, who came here during the Second World War and made a promise to himself that he would return and build a theatre.
I have found I have a great affinity with John: we both came to Pitlochry and were mesmerised, we both share a belief in dreaming big and the power of positivity and manifestation. And for my first season, just as he did in 1951, I have invited people here who I admire and love, and who have been part of the theatrical journey that led me to becoming this theatre’s Artistic Director.
The potential of Pitlochry Festival Theatre is boundless and we have a passionate and proud staff who are ready to share the adventure ahead with me. And so, in 2026 I hope you’ll join us all for a season of work that is a homage to John Stewart’s legacy and spirit: one of boldness, of daring, and of manifesting a dream.
Season 2026 to open with the Scottish première of the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Once featuring the original Broadway creative team of director John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End and Broadway), choreographer Steven Hoggett (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night–Time, West End and Broadway), designer Bob Crowley (An American in Paris and The History Boys, Broadway and West End) and musical director Martin Lowe (War Horse, National Theatre). (23 May – 27 June)
Award-winning actor Sally Reid to direct Adura Onashile (Medea, National Theatre of Scotland) and Sandy Grierson (Make it Happen, National Theatre of Scotland) in the world première of Inexperience, Scottish playwright Douglas Maxwell’s witty and heartfelt romantic new comedy about touch, memory, and the choices that shape a life. (13 June – 4 July). Inexperience is supported by Aberfeldy Single Malt.
Maureen Beattie (Deadwater Fell, ITV) leads the company in Lear, director Finn den Hertog’s (The Fifth Step, National Theatre of Scotland) bold new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Cast to also feature Forbes Masson (The High Life, BBC Scotland and Much Ado About Nothing, Jamie Lloyd Productions at Theatre Royal Drury Lane). (4 July – 1 August). Lear is supported by PITLOCHRYhotels.com
Bill Buckhurst (Sister Act, West End and Sweeney Todd, West End & New York) to direct the world première of Tony Winner Frances Ruffelle (Best known for playing Eponine in the original London and Broadway production of Les Misérables), Sally George and Alan Cumming’s I Can Die Too, a concert-style play with music inspired by Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine. Co-produced with Lovechild/Evan Sacks Productions. Frances Ruffelle will feature in the production (11 July – 2 August).
Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson (The Girl from the North Country, Old Vic Theatre and West End for which she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and films including Harry Potter and Bridget Jones) to reunite for a new production of A History of Paper. Written by Oliver Emanuel with music by Gareth Williams (creators of The 306 Trilogy, National Theatre of Scotland), the production will be directed by Dundee Rep Theatre’s award-winning Artistic Director Andrew Panton (Make It Happen, National Theatre of Scotland, The Glass Menagerie, Dundee Rep Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre). The production will be presented as a co-production with Dundee Rep Theatre. (8 August – 12 September)
Iain Heggie’s fearless and provocative play about parental care, Wiping My Mother’s Arse to be revived for the first time since its original run at the Traverse Theatre in 2001. Production to be directed by Sam Hardie and will feature Scottish writer, director, and actor Johnny McKnight in its cast. (15 August – 6 September)
Alan Cumming to direct Simon Russell Beale (The Lehman Trilogy, The Hollow Crown: Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 and The Death of Stalin) and Fra Fee ( Hawkeye, Disney + and Prime Target, Apple TV) in the world première of Martin Sherman’s (Bent, The Boy from Oz and Mrs Henderson Presents) new play I’ll Be Seeing You, which tells the story of a young gay playwright writing a new play about the legendary pianist and singer Liberace (12 September – 11 October).
Tony award winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh Mary! Broadway and West End) to direct the UK première of the new immersive musical Written by the Scottish writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker), the new musical will open the doors to one of the nation’s oldest and most loved traditions. Tickets go on sale in 2026. (24 September – 17 October).
David Harrower’s adaptation of Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie featuring Gayle Rankin (Glow and House of the Dragon) and directed by Vicky Featherstone is set to visit the Theatre in early November. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is A National Theatre of Scotland Production, presented in partnership with The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre. (4-7 November)
Season 2026 to end with Olivier award-winning actor and director Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along, Broadway) directing Alan Cumming as Henry Higgins in a new revival of Lerner and Loewe’s iconic musical My Fair Lady (21 November – 31 December).
I hosted the BAFTA Film Awards in February 2026.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre hosted the annual Winter Words Festival in February 2026.
To start Winter Words off, I was interviewed by the poet and novelist Michael Pederson, who will be the new curator the festival from 2027 onwards. The next day I interviewed our Head of Gardens, Caroline Beavey about her new book about the PFT Explorers Garden, From Heather to Himalayas, and in the evening I was in conversation with the great crime writer Ian Rankin.
Also on Friday I appeared as Walt Whitman in a rehearsed reading of The Rough With The Smooth by Shomit Dutta, a play imagining what happened when Whitman met Oscar Wilde. It was directed by Owen Horsley. Damian Molony played Wilde.
On Saturday at one of our Literary Lunches I interviewed Pam Brunton, chef and proprietor of Inver restaurant and author of the amazing food memoir Between Two Waters. Pam is a fellow alumni of Carnoustie high school!
I finished Saturday DJing a huge party in the foyer, which is becoming something of. tradition now at Winter Words. Much fun was had!
On Sunday, BBC 3’s Book Club, hosted by James Naughtie recorded a show which served as a launch for the audiobook I read of the classic Scottish novel Lanark by Alasdair Gray . I then finished up interviewing thew hilarious and fascinating Tom Lewis of Monachyle Mhor hotel and restaurant.
I hosted the 2026 Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP!
As is tradition, I traveled to Boston to fulfill my annual destiny of hosting the Masterpiece Mystery for PBS!
Out in the Hills was my first piece of programming as Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. It was a three day celebration of all things LGBTQ+ and curated by Lewis Hetherington.
I interviewed Graham Norton, and also acted in a rehearsed reading of Me and the Girls, adapted and directed by Neil Bartlett