Thirty years is a long time to spend in the departure lounge, but the speed at which tickets for the world premiere of The High Life. The Musical. Still Living It! have vanished proves that the nation’s affection for Steve and Sebastian hasn’t dimmed.
For a vast swathe of the public, this isn’t just another nostalgia trip; it’s a long-overdue homecoming for a cult phenomenon that has managed to sell out venues before the full cast was even a matter of public record.While the “original four”—Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Siobhan Redmond, and Patrick Ryecart—are the undeniable engine of the hype, the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep have now confirmed the full ensemble. It is a list that suggests a production looking to pair these significant legacy talents with some of the best performers currently gracing Scottish stages and beyond.
The Flight Path: Spring 2026
The production is set to criss-cross the country from late March through May 2026. Good luck getting tickets — maybe you can stand outside the stage door?
Dundee Rep Theatre: 27 March – 4 April
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh: 7 – 11 April
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen: 14 – 18 April
Eden Court, Inverness: 29 April – 2 May
Dundee Rep Theatre (Return): 6 – 9 May
King’s Theatre, Glasgow: 12 – 23 May
“I’m thrilled that we’re creating the show at Dundee Rep Theatre and I can’t wait to welcome this extraordinary cabin crew of Scottish musical theatre talent aboard before it jets off to entertain audiences across Scotland.”
Director: Andrew Panton
Grounding the Camp
The casting of the supporting crew is packed with talent. Louise McCarthy (Heather Argyll) is perhaps the most significant. With theQR.co.uk having previously noted her turn in the NTS’s Orphans (2022) as “ferociously funny” and her more recent lead in the Tron’s Gallus in Weegieland as a “multi-talented powerhouse,” she brings a level of vocal & comedic oomph that should stop the show from becoming a mere sketch medley.
Similarly, Kyle Gardiner (Mylie) is a performer well able to balance physical energy and technical precision. We called his previous lead in Oor Wullie “perfectly judged,” whilst his work in Restless Natives showed a performer capable of sustaining high-energy musical theatre without losing the bite. He is joined by Ross Baxter, also a veteran of Restless Natives, and Grant McIntyre, who we noted “shone” in the NTS’s Maggie & Me.
Bottom Row: Kyle Gardiner, Rachael Kendall Brown, Ross Baxter, Lauren Ellis-Steele, Ciara Flynn and Grant McIntyre
Completing the cabin crew are Lauren Ellis-Steele—who stood out in Noisemaker’s SCOTS—alongside Rachael Kendall Brown (Kylie) and Ciara Flynn. This ensemble represents a cross-section of the performers currently doing the heavy lifting in Scottish musical theatre, providing serious firepower to back up the leads.
A Flight for Survival
The plot, penned by Cumming, Masson, and Johnny McKnight, finds Air Scotia sold off and the crew fighting to prove they are “still fit for purpose.” It is a meta-commentary that acknowledges the passage of time without ditching the “joyous buffoonery” that defined the 1995 sitcom.
Johnny McKnight noted his own proximity to the source material:
“I grew up watching The High Life, wishing that one day I could get to fly thirty thousand feet with Alan, Forbes, Siobhan and Patrick. I never believed that a reunion show would happen, let alone that I would get to be part of the team working on it. The bags are packed, the tena-man pants on, and I am ready for check in. Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for the flight of a lifetime.”
For Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, who first developed the characters from their Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama double-act Victor and Barry, the revival is a homecoming to their “inner trolly dollies.” In a joint statement, the pair said:
“Never 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’ve come up with around Scotland!”
Directed by Dundee Rep’s Artistic Director and Joint CEO of Dundee Rep Theatre, Andrew Panton, who will oversee a new production of acclaimed new musical, A History of Paper, the production will feature new and original music. Panton describes the development as a “riot of creative energy, hilarity and brilliant music and songs.” With first-listen tracks already racking up 276,000 views on social media, the demand is undeniable.
“Never 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.”
Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson
The question remains whether the farcical energy of a 30-minute sitcom can sustain a full-scale musical spectacular, but the NTS has at least ensured the flight has plenty of power behind the engines.
Featured Image: Siobhan Redmond, Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, and Patrick Ryecart
