The High Life – The Musical Announces Full Cast
After a 30-year delay in the departure lounge, The High Life returns in a new musical spectacular featuring all four original cast members – Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Siobhan Redmond and Patrick Ryecart aka Sebastian Flight, Steve McCracken, Shona Spurtle and Captain Hilary Duff. They are joined onstage by Louise McCarthy, Kyle Gardiner, Rachael Kendall Brown, Ross Baxter, Lauren Ellis-Steele, Ciara Flynn and Grant McIntyre.
The production will tour Scotland in Spring 2026, with previews and opening performance at Dundee Rep Theatre from 27 March, then onward touring to Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, HMT Aberdeen, Eden Court Theatre, returns to Dundee Rep Theatre and King’s Theatre Glasgow until 23 May 2026.
The High Life is a creative collaboration between trailblazing, multi-award-winning artist Alan Cumming (US Traitors, X2 and Avengers: Doomsday and Cabaret on Broadway) and his long-time writing and performing partner, prolific stage and screen actor and writer Forbes Masson (Only Child, The Crown, Eastenders). The creative team is joined by celebrated writer, performer and panto-maker Johnny McKnight (Wendy Hoose, Radiant Vermin, River City) and the award-winning and internationally acclaimed Artistic Director of Dundee Rep, Andrew Panton (Make It Happen, August: Osage County, No Love Songs, A History of Paper).
Oh dearie me! Air Scotia has been sold, and unless our intrepid cabin crew can prove they’re still fit for purpose it looks like the future destination for Air Scotia is the scrap heap. In this flight for their lives, our cut-price cabin crew must get themselves (and their passengers) to their destination safely, testing their mettle and putting decades old friendships and rivalries finally to rest.
The High Life was first commissioned and broadcast by the BBC, created by and featuring Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson. It was a launchpad to its creators’ long and illustrious careers. Since airing in the 90s it has attracted cult status for its sharp wit, farcical storytelling and joyous buffoonery. Taking place in the fictional Air Scotia airline, it centres around air stewards Steve, Sebastian and Shona – the most useless cabin crew ever to push a drinks trolley while asking ‘U Fur Coffee?”.
This revival sees our iconic characters finding themselves growing older in an ever-changing world. It will feature new and original music, is stuffed full of camp silliness and is cleared for take-off.
Touring to Dundee Rep Theatre (27 March to 4 April & 6 to 9 May); Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (7 to11 Apr); His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (14 to 18 Apr); Eden Court Inverness (29 Apr to 2 May) and King’s Theatre, Glasgow (12 to 23 May) in Spring 2026.
