Original cast from The High Life reuniting for musical

The production will tour Scotland in spring 2026

Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson are reuniting with other original members of The High Life cast to create a musical based on the 1990s TV show.

The production will tour Scotland in spring 2026, almost three decades after the series was screened.

All four original cast members – Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Siobhan Redmond and Patrick Ryecart will feature in the show.

The High Life, first commissioned and broadcast by the BBC, centred on the crew of the fictional Air Scotia airline.

In the musical Air Scotia has been sold and the crew are fighting for their future.

The TV series was created by Cumming and Masson who have reunited to create the musical, joined in their creative collaboration by writer, performer and panto-maker Johnny McKnight and the artistic director of Dundee Rep, Andrew Panton.

Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson 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.”

The High Life was first introduced to TV audiences in an initial pilot in 1994 and then in a series of six episodes which were broadcast in early 1995. The series is currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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 30 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.”

The new show is being presented by National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres.

It will tour to Dundee Rep Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh and King’s Theatre, Glasgow in Spring 2026.

Andrew Panton said: “Having been a High Life fan right from take-off in 1994, it’s been a total joy to work with this amazing team of pure talent.

“Our development time together has been a riot of creative energy, hilarity and brilliant music and songs and I feel sure our new stage musical will appeal to both fans of the TV show and folks new to The High Life.

“I’m thrilled that we’re creating the show at Dundee Rep Theatre before it jets off to entertain audiences across Scotland.”

Published: 28/05/2025 by Radio NewsHub