The National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre, in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres, will present the world premiere of The High Life: The Musical next year.
Featuring story, script and lyrics by Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, and Johnny McKnight, with music by Masson and Cumming, the production will be directed by Andrew Panton. The High Life was a 1994 British situational comedy taking place on a fictional airline, Air Scotia. Running for only 6 episodes on BBC2, the program has since become a cult favorite, due in part to its surreal theatricality. After 30 years, The High Life will return with all four original cast members鈥擟umming, Masson, Siobhan Redmond, and Patrick Ryecart, who will reprise their roles of Sebastian Flight, Steve McCracken, Shona Spurtle and Captain Hilary Duff, respectively.
The conceit for the musical is as follows: "Oh deary me! Air Scotia has been sold, and unless our intrepid cabin crew can prove they鈥檙e 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 production will tour Scotland in spring 2026, visiting Dundee Rep Theatre, His Majesty鈥檚 Theatre in Aberdeen, Festival Theatre in Edinburgh and King鈥檚 Theatre in Glasgow.
Colin Richmond will serve as the set and costume designer, and Emily Jane Boyle will serve as the choreographer. The musical supervisor will be Sarah Travis, and the lighting designer will be Grant Anderson.
Said Cumming and Masson, 鈥淣ever say never! We are both beyond excited to be donning those nylon slacks and crimpelene blazers and connecting with our inner trolly dollies after all these years. Returning to these characters alongside the genius that is Johnny McKnight has been a joyful experience and we can't wait to share what madness we鈥檝e come up with around Scotland!鈥�
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