After a 30-year delay in the departure lounge, fans of ‘90s comedy classic, The High Life, can buckle up for a new musical version featuring all four original cast members – Alan Cumming as Sebastian Flight, Forbes Masson as Steve McCracken, Siobhan Redmond as Shona Spurtle and Patrick Ryecart as Captain Hilary Duff. In this collaborative work, Cumming and Masson are joined by writer Johnny McKnight along with Artistic Director of Dundee Rep, Andrew Panton.
Cumming and Masson said “Never say never! We are both beyond excited to be donning those nylon slacks and crimplene 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!”
These stalwarts are joined by Louise McCarthy, Kyle Gardiner, Rachael Kendall Brown, Ross Baxter, Lauren Ellis-Steele, Ciara Flynn and Grant McIntyre in this production from the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres.
Cumming and Masson met at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1982 and formed the belovèd comedy duo Victor and Barry, whose arrival was recently chronicled as a 40th anniversary celebration in the book Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium – A Meander Down Memory Close. Victor and Barry later morphed into Steve and Sebastian when they wrote the BBC sitcom, The High Life, that gained rightful cult status for its sharp banter, farcical storytelling and camp carry ons, while helping to launch the pair’s subsequent careers.
Fast forward 30 years and, 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.
Featuring new and original music from Masson, with additional music by Cumming, The High Life’s hold is stuffed full of the outrageous daftness that helped make its mark on the psyche of afficionados.
The Prince of Scottish Panto, Johnny McKnight, said “I am absolutely thrilled to join the Air Scotia cabin crew. 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.”
This World premiere will have its opening performance at Dundee Rep Theatre (27th March to 4th April & 6th to 9th May) before touring to Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (7th to 11th Apr), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen(14th to 18th Apr), Eden Court, Inverness (29th Apr to 2ng May and finishing at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow (12th to 23rd May) .
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 