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ALAN CUMMING ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL SEASON AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF PITLOCHRY FESTIVAL THEATRE
Pitlochry Festival Theatre to celebrate its 75th anniversary with an exciting lineup for 2026.
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- Alan Cumming announces his inaugural season as Artistic Director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre
- Pitlochry Festival Theatre to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2026.
- Season to include world premières, musical revivals, Scottish premières and festivals.
- Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Sonia Friedman Productions to develop an exciting producing partnership to première Pitlochry Festival Theatre productions.
- Season 2026 to open with a revival of Once featuring the original production’s Broadway creative team led by director John Tiffany and end with the Olivier award-winning actor and director Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along, Broadway) directing Alan Cumming as Henry Higgins in a new revival of Lerner and Loewe’s iconic musical My Fair Lady.
- World premières to include Alan Cumming directing Simon Russell Beale and Fra Fee in Martin Sherman’s (Bent, The Boy from Oz and Mrs Henderson Presents) new play I’ll Be Seeing You and Award-winning actor Sally Reid directing Adura Onashile and Sandy Grierson in Douglas Maxwell’s new play
- Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson to reunite for a new production of A History of Paper, co-created by Oliver Emanuel (Book) and Gareth Williams (Music) and directed by Andrew Panton. Presented by Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre.
- Maureen Beattie to play the title role in Lear, director Finn den Hertog’s bold new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Cast to also feature Forbes Masson.
- Bill Buckhurst to direct the world première of Tony Winner Frances Ruffelle (best known for playing Eponine in the original London and Broadway production of Les Misérables), Sally George and Alan Cumming’s I Can Die Too, a concert-style play with music inspired by Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine. Co-produced with Lovechild/Evan Sacks Productions.
- A revival of Iain Heggie’s fearless and provocative play about parental care, Wiping My Mother’s Arse directed by Sam Hardie and featuring Johnny McKnight.
- Tony award-winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh Mary! Broadway and West End) to direct the UK première of new immersive musical CEILIDH, written by the Scottish writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker).
- Other events at Pitlochry Festival Theatre include a new festival – Out in the Hills, a bold, inclusive celebration of queer voices and creative expression featuring, amongst others, Ian McKellen, Graham Norton, Alan Cumming and celebrated authors Armistead Maupin and Val McDermid and the return of the Theatre’s annual literature festival Winter Words.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director, Alan Cumming has today announced his highly anticipated inaugural season of exciting programming for 2026, which will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the celebrated Scottish Highland Theatre.
The Season 2026 will feature a programme of creatively bold and inventive productions, featuring amongst others, world premières, Scottish and UK premières, revivals of musicals and plays, a visiting production and two exciting festivals.
Throughout the season, the Theatre will welcome an incredible line up of Scottish, British and internationally renowned award–winning talent to the Scottish Highlands for what promises to be a theatrical highlight for Scotland in 2026.
Productions will include the musicals Once directed by John Tiffany and choreographed by Steven Hoggett and Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady directed by Maria Friedman and featuring Alan Cumming as Henry Higgins; premières of the new plays I’ll Be Seeing You by Martin Sherman, directed by Alan Cumming and featuring Simon Russell Beale and Fra Fee; I Can Die Too by Frances Ruffelle, Sally George and Alan Cumming, co-produced with Lovechild/Evan Sacks Productions; Inexperience by Scottish playwright Douglas Maxwell featuring Adura Onashile and Sandy Grierson and the UK première of the new immersive musical CEILIDH written by the Scottish writing team Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker) and directed by Tony award-winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh Mary!, Broadway and the forthcoming revival of The Rocky Horror Show).
The exciting Season 2026 will also feature new productions of Oliver Emanuel and Gareth Williams’ beautiful A History of Paper featuring Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson and directed by CATS award-winning director Andrew Panton, co–produced with Dundee Rep Theatre; William Shakespeare’s Lear directed and adapted by Finn den Hertog featuring Maureen Beattie as the monarch and Forbes Masson as Gloucester; Iain Heggie’s fearless and provocative play Wiping My Mother’s Arse and the National Theatre of Scotland production of David Harrower’s stage adaptation of Muriel Spark’s’ novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, featuring Gayle Rankin and directed by Vicky Featherstone. The production is presented in partnership with The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Alan Cumming, Artistic Director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre said today:
“My first season of programmed work as Artistic Director in 2026 also happens to be the 75th anniversary of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s founding by a man named John Stewart, who came here during the Second World War and made a promise to himself that he would return and build a theatre.
I have found I have a great affinity with John: we both came to Pitlochry and were mesmerised, we both share a belief in dreaming big and the power of positivity and manifestation. And for my first season, just as he did in 1951, I have invited people here who I admire and love, and who have been part of the theatrical journey that led me to becoming this theatre’s Artistic Director.
The potential of Pitlochry Festival Theatre is boundless and we have a passionate and proud staff who are ready to share the adventure ahead with me. And so, in 2026 I hope you’ll join us all for a season of work that is a homage to John Stewart’s legacy and spirit: one of boldness, of daring, and of manifesting a dream.
THE SEASON IN FULL (in chronological order)
- Season 2026 to open with the Scottish première of the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Once featuring the original Broadway creative team of director John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End and Broadway), choreographer Steven Hoggett (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night–Time, West End and Broadway), designer Bob Crowley (An American in Paris and The History Boys, Broadway and West End) and musical director Martin Lowe (War Horse, National Theatre). (23 May – 27 June)
- Award-winning actor Sally Reid to direct Adura Onashile (Medea, National Theatre of Scotland) and Sandy Grierson (Make it Happen, National Theatre of Scotland) in the world première of Inexperience, Scottish playwright Douglas Maxwell’s witty and heartfelt romantic new comedy about touch, memory, and the choices that shape a life. (13 June – 4 July). Inexperience is supported by Aberfeldy Single Malt.
- Maureen Beattie (Deadwater Fell, ITV) leads the company in Lear, director Finn den Hertog’s (The Fifth Step, National Theatre of Scotland) bold new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Cast to also feature Forbes Masson (The High Life, BBC Scotland and Much Ado About Nothing, Jamie Lloyd Productions at Theatre Royal Drury Lane). (4 July – 1 August). Lear is supported by PITLOCHRYhotels.com
- Bill Buckhurst (Sister Act, West End and Sweeney Todd, West End & New York) to direct the world première of Tony Winner Frances Ruffelle (Best known for playing Eponine in the original London and Broadway production of Les Misérables), Sally George and Alan Cumming’s I Can Die Too, a concert-style play with music inspired by Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine. Co-produced with Lovechild/Evan Sacks Productions. Frances Ruffelle will feature in the production (11 July – 2 August).
- Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson (The Girl from the North Country, Old Vic Theatre and West End for which she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and films including Harry Potter and Bridget Jones) to reunite for a new production of A History of Paper. Written by Oliver Emanuel with music by Gareth Williams (creators of The 306 Trilogy, National Theatre of Scotland), the production will be directed by Dundee Rep Theatre’s award-winning Artistic Director Andrew Panton (Make It Happen, National Theatre of Scotland, The Glass Menagerie, Dundee Rep Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre). The production will be presented as a co-production with Dundee Rep Theatre. (8 August – 12 September)
- Iain Heggie’s fearless and provocative play about parental care, Wiping My Mother’s Arse to be revived for the first time since its original run at the Traverse Theatre in 2001. Production to be directed by Sam Hardie and will feature Scottish writer, director, and actor Johnny McKnight in its cast. (15 August – 6 September)
- Alan Cumming to direct Simon Russell Beale (The Lehman Trilogy, The Hollow Crown: Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 and The Death of Stalin) and Fra Fee ( Hawkeye, Disney + and Prime Target, Apple TV) in the world première of Martin Sherman’s (Bent, The Boy from Oz and Mrs Henderson Presents) new play I’ll Be Seeing You, which tells the story of a young gay playwright writing a new play about the legendary pianist and singer Liberace (12 September – 11 October).
- Tony award winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh Mary! Broadway and West End) to direct the UK première of the new immersive musical Written by the Scottish writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker), the new musical will open the doors to one of the nation’s oldest and most loved traditions. Tickets go on sale in 2026. (24 September – 17 October).
- David Harrower’s adaptation of Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie featuring Gayle Rankin (Glow and House of the Dragon) and directed by Vicky Featherstone is set to visit the Theatre in early November. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is A National Theatre of Scotland Production, presented in partnership with The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre. (4-7 November)
- Season 2026 to end with Olivier award-winning actor and director Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along, Broadway) directing Alan Cumming as Henry Higgins in a new revival of Lerner and Loewe’s iconic musical My Fair Lady (21 November – 31 December).
Further productions in the Theatre’s outdoor performance spaces will be announced in the coming months.
As well as an exciting line up of theatre productions, Pitlochry Festival Theatre will be staging new festival in January 2026 – Out in the Hills, a bold, inclusive celebration of LGBTQIA+ voices and creative expression which will feature Ian McKellen, Graham Norton, Alan Cumming and authors Val McDermid, Jackie Kay and Armistead Maupin (16–18 January) and will also see the return of the Theatre’s annual literature festival Winter Words (12–15 February).
In 2026, Pitlochry Festival Theatre is set to “share Pitlochry with the world, and the world with Pitlochry”.
Priority booking for Members and Patrons starts from Thursday 13 November at 12pm with public booking opening on Thursday 27 November at 10am. Booking for CEILIDH opens in 2026. For further information visit pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com.
–ENDS–
For all press enquiries please contact Duncan Clarke PR:
T 07880893750 or E duncanclarkepr@gmail.com.
Notes to Editors
2026 Press Performance schedule
| Production | Theatre | Press Night Suggestions |
| Once | Auditorium | Thursday 28 May 2pm/7.30pm
Friday 29 May at 7pm Saturday 30 May at 2pm/7.30pm |
| Inexperience | Studio | Thursday 18 June 2.30pm/8pm |
| Lear | Auditorium | Thursday 9 July 2pm/7.30pm |
| I Can Die Too | Studio | Thursday 16 July 2.30pm/8pm |
| A History of Paper | Auditorium | Thursday 13 August 2pm / 7.30pm |
| Wiping My Mother’s Arse | Studio | Thursday 20 August 2.30pm/8pm |
| I’ll Be Seeing You | Studio | Thursday 17 September 2.30pm/8pm
|
| CEILIDH | Auditorium | Thursday 1 October at 2pm/7.30pm |
| The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Auditorium
|
Wednesday 4 November at 7.30pm |
| My Fair Lady | Auditorium | Wednesday 26 November 2pm / 7pm |
Season 2026
16 January – 18 January Out in the Hills –Auditorium/Studio
12 February – 15 February Winter Words – Studio
23 May – 27 June Once – Auditorium
13 June – 4 July Inexperience – Studio
4 July – 1 August Lear – Auditorium
11 July – 2 August I Can Die Too – Studio
8 August – 12 September A History of Paper – Auditorium
15 Aug – 6 September Wiping my Mother’s Arse – Studio
12 September – 11 October I’ll Be Seeing You – Studio
24 September – 17 October CEILIDH – Auditorium
4–7 November – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Auditorium
21 November – 31 December My Fair Lady – Auditorium
SEASON 2026 INFORMATION
FESTIVAL
16–18 January –Auditorium and Studio
Out in the Hills
A queer festival for everyone
Brighten up your January with three days of theatre, music, film, dancing, and much more. This new festival celebrates all things LGBTQIA+ and invites all of us to find new ways to look at the world and each other.
From the first look at brand new plays, to beautiful exhibitions of photography, to events discussing everything from football to crime writing, to baking.
Ian McKellen stars in a rehearsed reading of Equinox, a brand-new one-man play by Laurie Slade. Our very own Alan Cumming leads the company for Me and the Girls; an adaptation of a Noel Coward story by Neil Bartlett.
Our series of ‘in conversation’ events gives a chance to hear from well-loved figures like literary icons Jackie Kay and Armistead Maupin, politician turned stand-up Mhairi Black, and the nation’s favourite chat show host, Graham Norton.
And whilst it might be dark outside, the whole building will be full of joy and life inside. With drop in workshops for young people across the weekend, a queer ceilidh on the Friday night, and a DJ set from Junglehussi on Saturday.
There really is something for everyone, and all are welcome to come along. Be curious, be entertained and be connected.
Out in the Hills curated by Lewis Hetherington.
Out in the Hills Festival is supported by PITLOCHRYhotels.com
FESTIVAL
12–15 February, Studio
Winter Words
An annual literary celebration held at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, now in its 22nd year. The festival brings together leading voices in literature, journalism, poetry, food, and performance for a vibrant three–day programme each February. Featuring author talks, literary lunches, live readings, wellness events, and theatrical performances. With past guests including Douglas Stuart, Val McDermid, Kirsty Wark, and Liz Lochhead, the festival is a unique and immersive showcase of Scottish and international storytelling.
Winter Words Festival 2026 is supported by Pine Trees Hotel
2026 PRODUCTIONS
SCOTTISH PREMIÈRE
23 May – 27 June, Auditorium
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
Once
Book by ENDA WALSH
Music & Lyrics by GLEN HANSARD & MARKÉTA IRGLOVÁ
Based on the Motion Picture Written and Directed by JOHN CARNEY
By Special Arrangement with the Original Broadway Producers
Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International
Directed by John Tiffany
Designed by Bob Crowley
Movement by Steven Hoggett
Music supervision and orchestrations by Martin Lowe
With music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová and a book by Enda Walsh, Once is the Tony Award-winning musical based on John Carney’s much-loved 2007 film, which introduced the Academy Award-winning song Falling Slowly.
Premiering in New York in 2012 and winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Once is now coming to Scotland for the very first time. The original creative team reunite to bring this modern classic to the stage, opening Alan Cumming’s inaugural season as Artistic Director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Set in Dublin, the story follows Guy, a disillusioned street musician ready to leave his songs behind, and Girl, a spirited Czech immigrant who challenges him to believe in his talent. With the support of an unconventional group of friends and fellow musicians, they embark on creating an album together.
This achingly beautiful, joyously uplifting show strikes an unforgettable chord and speaks to the power of music to connect us all. From the very first note, Once draws you in and never lets go.
“Once uses song and dance in a way I’ve never experienced in an American musical” – New York Times
| MAY | JUNE |
| 23 – 7.30pm | 3 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 24 – 2pm | 4– 2pm/7.30pm |
| 27– 2pm/7.30pm | 5 – 7.30pm |
| 28 – 2pm/7.30pm – PRESS | 6 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 29 – 7pm – PRESS | 7 – 2pm |
| 30– 2pm/7.30pm – PRESS | 10 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 31 – 2pm | 11 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 12 – 7.30pm | |
| 13 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 14 – 2pm | |
| 17 – 2pm CAPTIONED /7.30pm | |
| 18 – 2pm/7.30pm AD | |
| 19 – 7.30pm BSL | |
| 20 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 21 – 2pm RELAXED | |
| 24 – 2pm AD /7.30pm | |
| 25 – 2pm/7.30pm CAPTIONED | |
| 26 – 7.30pm | |
| 27 – 2pm/7.30pm |
WORLD PREMIÈRE
13 June – 4 July, Studio
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
Inexperience
By Douglas Maxwell
Directed by Sally Reid
Cast: Adura Onashile and Sandy Grierson
Inexperience by award-winning playwright Douglas Maxwell is a witty and heartfelt romantic comedy about touch, memory, and the choices that shape a life.
Robin doesn’t do mess. Not in his house, not in his work, not in his heart. A meticulous Sheriff Clerk, he keeps himself apart—safe, orderly, untouchable. Until Iris walks back into his courtroom.
Iris is Robin’s opposite: impulsive, passionate, always chasing the next cause or connection. Back in the 90s, when they were students, she made Robin a daring promise: they could only ever touch once. Just once, in their entire lives—in an attempt to preserve a spark that usually fades. Iris forgot. Robin never did.
Now, decades later, that one perfect touch may finally be within reach. But can a single moment live up to a lifetime of anticipation?
Inexperience is a moving, playful exploration of intimacy in a culture where physical contact is anything but simple. With humour, warmth, and emotional bite, Maxwell asks: what’s the best way to live? Do you dive into life’s chaos, or stay apart and unscathed?
Inexperience is supported by Aberfeldy Single Malt
| JUNE | JULY |
| 13 – 8pm | 1 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 14 – 2.30pm | 2 July – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 17 – 2.30pm/8pm | 3 July – 8pm |
| 18 – 2.30pm/8pm – PRESS | 4 July – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 19 – 8pm | |
| 20 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 21– 2.30pm | |
| 24 –2.30pm/8pm | |
| 25 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 26 – 2.30pm | |
| 27 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 28– 2.30pm |
NEW ADAPTATION
4 July – 1 August, Auditorium
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production
Lear
Written by William Shakespeare.
Directed and adapted by Finn den Hertog.
Designed by Emma Bailey
Cast to include Maureen Beattie and Forbes Masson
In this bold new imagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Scottish theatre legend Maureen Beattie takes on the towering role of the monarch whose decision to test her daughters’ love unravels both family and kingdom. A thrilling story of pride, folly and misplaced trust.
A powerhouse of Scottish talent breathes vivid life into the tragedy, featuring Forbes Masson as Gloucester, Lear’s fiercely loyal yet doomed courtier.
Directed by Finn den Hertog, following his acclaimed West End production of The Fifth Step and designed by award-winning designer Emma Bailey (Six! The Musical; Sunset Song) whose award-winning designs have been seen around the world.
Lear is a visceral exploration of power, legacy and family, brought to the stage by some of Scotland’s most celebrated artists.
| JULY |
| 4 – 7.30pm |
| 5 – 2pm |
| 8 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 9 – 2pm/7.30pm – PRESS |
| 10 – 7.30pm |
| 11 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 12 – 2pm |
| 15 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 16 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 17 – 7.30pm |
| 18 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 19 – 2pm |
| 22 – 2pm CAPTIONED /7.30pm |
| 23 – 2pm /7.30pm AD |
| 24 – 7.30pm BSL |
| 25– 2pm/7.30pm |
| 26 – 2pm RELAXED |
| 29 – 2pm AD /7.30pm |
| 30 – 2pm/7.30pm CAPTIONED |
| 31 – 7.30pm |
| AUGUST |
| 1 – 2pm/7.30pm |
Lear supported by PITLOCHRYhotels.com
WORLD PREMIÈRE
11 July – 2 August, Studio
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Lovechild/Evan Sacks Production
I Can Die Too
Written by Frances Ruffelle, Sally George and Alan Cumming
Directed by Bill Buckhurst
Cast to feature Frances Ruffelle
“If you think I’m doing the rest of this in French you’ve got another thing coming!”
I Can Die Too is a play with music about a play with music — inspired by Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine and playfully reimagined during a chaotic tech rehearsal.
The trouble is, our leading actress, Lily, can’t bear the role she’s playing as it mirrors her own life, and the ghosts she can’t quite leave behind. As the rehearsal spirals, she humorously descends into a world of doubt, defiance, and the insatiable desire to sing.
A collision of life and art, I Can Die Too is a sharp, self-aware exploration of theatre — blurring the lines between classic drama, tragicomedy, musical theatre and concert.
Written by Frances Ruffelle, Sally George and Alan Cumming. Directed by Bill Buckhurst.
| JULY | AUGUST |
| 11 – 8pm | 1 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 12 – 2.30pm | 2 – 2.30 |
| 15 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 16 – 2.30/8pm – PRESS | |
| 17 –8pm | |
| 18 – 2.30/8pm | |
| 19 – 2.30pm | |
| 22 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 23 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 24 – 8pm | |
| 25 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 26 – 8pm | |
| 29 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 30– 2.30pm/ 8pm | |
| 31 – 8pm |
NEW PRODUCTION OF SCOTTISH MUSICAL
8 August – 12 September, Auditorium
Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre Present
A History of Paper
Book by Oliver Emanuel
Music by Gareth Williams.
Directed by Andrew Panton.
Musically Directed by Gavin Whitworth
Designed by Ana Inés Jabares Pita
Cast: Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson
A new production of a magical Scottish musical about unbounding joy, impossible grief, a man, a woman and the little bits of paper that make up a life.
First seen at the Traverse Theatre in 2024 as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, A History of Paper co-created by Oliver Emanuel (Book) and Gareth Williams (Music), won a Fringe First and Music Theatre Review Best Musical award and the Best Director at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) for Andrew Panton. Andrew returns to direct a new co-production with Dundee Rep Theatre starring Tony, Olivier, BAFTA and Emmy award winner Alan Cumming, and Olivier and BAFTA award winner Shirley Henderson. This pair of Scottish acting titans reunite after first playing opposite each other in Scottish Television’s Shadow of the Stone 40 years ago! More recently they appeared together in Brian Cox’s directorial film debut Glenrothan.
| AUGUST | SEPTEMBER |
| 8 – 7.30pm | 2 – 2pm CAPTIONED /7.30pm |
| 9 – 2pm | 3 – 2pm/7.30pm AD |
| 12 – 2pm/7.30pm | 4 – 7.30pm BSL |
| 13 – 2pm/7.30pm – PRESS | 5– 2pm/7.30pm |
| 14 – 7.30pm | 6 – 2pm RELAXED |
| 15 – 2pm/7.30pm | 9 – 2pm AD /7.30pm |
| 16 – 2pm | 10– 2pm /7.30pm CAPTIONED |
| 19–– 2pm/7.30pm | 11 – 7.30pm |
| 20 – 2pm/7.30pm | 12 –7.30pm |
| 21 – 7.30pm | |
| 22 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 23 – 2pm | |
| 26 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 27 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 28 – 7.30pm | |
| 29 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 30 – 2pm |
A History of Paper will be at Dundee Rep Theatre from 16-20 September.
REVIVAL
15 Aug – 6 Sept, Studio
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production
Wiping My Mother’s Arse
By Iain Heggie
Directed by Sam Hardie
Cast to feature Johnny McKnight
Winner of a Fringe First Award and a sold-out hit at the Traverse Theatre in 2003, Iain Heggie’s fearless and provocative play returns in a bold new revival.
At its heart is the story of an elderly woman in a care home, her overworked carer, and her conflicted son. Through their relationships, the play explores the chaos, comedy, and heartbreak of ageing and dementia—where secrets can’t stay buried and the everyday becomes dangerously unpredictable. By refusing to soften its subject matter, Heggie captures both the absurd liberation and the painful reality of lives lived on the edge of reason.
Unflinching, darkly comic, and deeply humane, Wiping My Mother’s Arse challenges audiences to face the uncomfortable truths we often avoid, while finding humour and compassion in the most unlikely places.
| AUGUST | SEPTEMBER |
| 15 Aug – 8pm | 2 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 16 Aug – 2.30pm | 3 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 19 – 2.30pm/8pm | 4 –– 8pm |
| 20 – 2.30pm/8pm – PRESS | 5 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 21 – 8pm | 6 – 2.30pm |
| 22 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 23 August – 2.30pm | |
| 26 –2.30pm/8pm | |
| 27 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 28 August – 8pm | |
| 29 August – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 30 August – 2.30pm |
WORLD PREMIÈRE
12 September – 11 October, Studio
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
I’ll Be Seeing You
By Martin Sherman
Directed by Alan Cumming
Designed by Tim Hatley
Cast to include Simon Russell Beale and Fra Fee
I’ll Be Seeing You is the dazzling new world première from legendary playwright and screenwriter Martin Sherman (Bent, Mrs Henderson Presents, A Madhouse in Goa).
This bold and imaginative fantasia follows a young writer struggling to create a play about the flamboyant superstar Liberace—a man he believes lived in denial, hiding his true self behind sequins and spectacle. But when Liberace himself appears to him, the story takes a surreal turn. Through music, memory, and irresistible charm, Liberace challenges not only the writer but also the audience to question their own assumptions, prejudices, and truths.
Funny, seductive, and deeply moving, I’ll Be Seeing You is a theatrical event that blurs reality and fantasy while celebrating one of entertainment’s most unforgettable icons.
The production will feature BAFTA, Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Simon Russell Beale (The Lehman Trilogy, The Hollow Crown: Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 and The Death of Stalin) and Fra Fee (Hawkeye, Disney + and Prime Target, Apple TV)
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER |
| 12 – 8pm | 1 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 13 – 2.30pm | 2 – 8pm |
| 16 – 2.30pm/8pm | 3 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 17 – 2.30pm/8pm – PRESS | 4 – 2.30pm |
| 18 – 8pm | 7 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 19 – 2.30pm/8pm | 8 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 20 – 2.30pm | 9 – 8pm |
| 23 – 2.30pm/8pm | 10 – 2.30pm/8pm |
| 24 – 2.30pm/8pm | 11– 2.30pm |
| 25 – 8pm | |
| 26 – 2.30pm/8pm | |
| 27 – 2.30pm | |
| 30 – 2.30pm/8pm |
UK PREMIÈRE
24 September –17 October – Auditorium – BOOKING OPENS IN 2026
CEILIDH
Created by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker)
Directed and Choreographed by Sam Pinkleton
Find yourself a hand to hold
CEILIDH is a brand-new musical that invites you to step into one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved traditions – a gathering to share in some songs, some stories and, most importantly, some dancing!
Led by a lively caller and stomping folk band, CEILIDH sweeps you up in a whirlwind of music and memories – all while sharing a dram or two along the way. But as the reels build, and partners spin the night away, a story begins to unfold: a story about a family. One of love, legacy, and why tonight’s ceilidh matters more than most.
Created by the award-winning writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie aka Noisemaker (Oor Wullie, SCOTS) and directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!), CEILIDH is a joyous, irreverent, heart-pounding celebration of Scotland’s culture, community, and the power of gathering together.
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER |
| 24 – 7.30pm | 1 – 2pm/ 7.30pm – PRESS |
| 25 – 7pm | 2 – 7.30pm |
| 26 – 2pm/7.30pm | 3 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 27 – 2pm | 4 – 2pm |
| 30 – 2pm/7.30pm | 7 – 2pm CAPTIONED /7.30pm |
| 8 – 2pm / 7.30pm AD | |
| 9 – 7.30pm BSL | |
| 10 – 2pm/7.30pm | |
| 11 – 2pm RELAXED | |
| 14 – 2pm AD /7.30pm | |
| 15 – 2pm/7.30pm CAPTIONED | |
| 16 – 7.30pm | |
| 17 – 2pm/7.30pm |
4 – 7 November, Auditorium
A National Theatre of Scotland production presented in partnership with The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Adapted by David Harrower from the novel by Muriel Spark
Directed by Vicky Featherstone
Featuring Gayle Rankin as Jean Brodie
‘Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life’
At the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, junior-school teacher Miss Jean Brodie is famously, in her prime.
Each year, Brodie selects her ‘set’. The crème de la crème of Girls whom she will shape through art and politics, stories of sexual liberation and titillating glimpses of the women they could become. In return, she demands utter loyalty from them all.
Witty, seductive and swirling in contradictions, Brodie’s mythical ability to invent her own truths and manipulate her Girls ultimately leads her to risk everything.
In an adaptation by David Harrower, which sharpens the knives of Spark’s extraordinary work, and with a cast lead by Gayle Rankin (Glow, House of The Dragon), this visceral production looks head on at our enduring moral fascination with such a beguiling and dangerous character.
| NOVEMBER |
| 4 – 7.30pm – PRESS |
| 5 – 2pm/7.30pm |
| 6 – 7.30pm |
| 7 – 2pm/7.30pm |
MUSICAL
21 November 2026 – 31 December, Auditorium
A Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production of
Lerner and Loewe’s
My Fair Lady
Book and Lyrics by ALAN JAY LERNER
Music by FREDERICK LOEWE
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s Play and Gabriel Pascal’s Motion Picture “PYGMALION”
Original Production Directed and Staged by Moss Hart
Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International
Directed by Maria Friedman
Cast to feature Alan Cumming as Henry Higgins.
Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady is one of the most beloved musicals ever written, and this brand-new chamber production offers a glorious take on the classic.
Directed by Maria Friedman, acclaimed musical theatre performer and director and the creative force behind the Tony Award-winning revival of Merrily We Roll Along, the story comes into sharper focus—intimate, engaging, and full of heart.
At the centre is Eliza Doolittle, the sharp-tongued flower seller who collides with Professor Henry Higgins, played by Alan Cumming. One of Scotland’s most celebrated performers, Cumming brings his trademark wit and charisma, reimagining Higgins for a new audience. What begins as a battle of wills between teacher and pupil soon blossoms into something far more complex: a story of transformation, class, and the search for belonging.
With favourites like Wouldn’t It Be Loverly, I Could Have Danced All Night and On the Street Where You Live, the songs are given fresh life in this chamber version, where every note and every word shines.
Glorious in its simplicity, My Fair Lady feels both familiar and new—a sparkling, heartfelt celebration of a timeless classic.
| NOVEMBER | DECEMBER |
| 21 –7pm | 2 – 2pm/7pm |
| 22 – 2pm | 3 – 2pm/7pm |
| 25 – 2pm/7pm | 4 – 7pm |
| 26 – 2pm/7pm – PRESS | 5 – 2pm/7pm |
| 27 November – 7pm | 6 – 2pm |
| 28 November – 2pm/7pm | 9 – 2pm CAPTIONED /7pm |
| 29 November – 2pm | 10 – 2pm/7pm AD |
| 11– 7pm BSL | |
| 12 – 2pm/7pm | |
| 13 – 2pm | |
| 16– 2pm AD /7pm | |
| 17– 2pm/7pm CAPTIONED | |
| 18– 7pm | |
| 19– 2pm/7pm | |
| 20– 2pm RELAXED | |
| 23 – 2pm/7pm | |
| 24 – 2pm | |
| 27 – 2pm/7pm | |
| 29 – 2pm/7pm | |
| 30 – 2pm / 7pm | |
| 31 – 2pm/ |
AD – Audio Described performance
BSL – British Sign Language Interpreted
CAPTIONED: Captioned performance
RELAXED: Relaxed and Dementia friendly
BOOKING INFORMATION
Sales dates
Priority booking for Members and Supporters opens on Thursday 13 November
General sale: Thursday 27 November.
Booking for CEILIDH opens in 2026
Booking information
Box Office and group bookings: 01796 484626.
email boxoffice@pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
Website: pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
Ticket prices and discounts:
Tickets: From £15
See below for discounts. Terms and conditions apply.
See the website pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com call the Box Office on 01796 484626 for more details and to buy tickets.
Season passes are available for all productions across the 2026 season (except for My Fair Lady). Applies at time of booking
Standard Patrons and Members discounts will apply for Season 2026 but will be overridden if a Members’ Season Pass discount applies at checkout.
Members and Patrons: 20% off 2 or 3 shows (From Priority booking opening until 31 Jan)
Members and Patrons: 25% off 4 or more shows (From Priority booking opening until 31 Jan)
Members and Patrons: 20% off 2 or more shows (1 February onwards)
General Public: 15% off 2 or more shows (From 27 November)
Accessible Performances:
Pitlochry Festival Theatre offers a range of accessible performances on selected dates throughout the year. A list of upcoming dates and booking detail is available at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com.
| Once | Lear | A History of Paper | CEILIDH | My Fair Lady | |
| Audio Described | 18 June 7.30pm 24 June 2pm | 23 July 7.30pm
29 July 2pm |
3 Sept 7.30pm
9 Sept 2pm |
8 Oct 7.30pm
14 Oct 2pm |
10 Dec 7pm
16 Dec 2pm |
| BSL Interpreted | 19 June 7.30pm | 24 July 7.30pm | 4 Sept 7.30pm | 9 Oct 7.30pm | 11 Dec 7pm |
| Captioned | 17 June 2pm
25 June 7.30pm |
22 July 2pm
30 July 7.30pm |
2 Sept 2pm
10 Sept 7.30pm |
7 Oct 2pm
15 Oct 7.30pm |
9 Dec 2pm
17 Dec 7pm |
| Relaxed and Dementia Friendly | 21 June 2pm | 26 July 2pm | 6 Sept 2pm | 11 Oct 2pm | 20 Dec 2pm |
Pitlochry Festival Theatre. A Theatre for Everyone. A Theatre for a Lifetime.
Since 1951, Pitlochry Festival Theatre has been the artistic heart and soul of Highland Perthshire. Attracting over 100,000 visitors every year, we’re more than simply a place to come and see a show – we’re Scotland’s leading producer of musical theatre and the country’s only rurally–located, major arts organisation. Our purpose is to improve lives by sharing Pitlochry with the world and the world with Pitlochry. Our aim is to create life–enhancing experiences in our Theatre and its glorious eleven–acre campus that encompasses the magical Explorers Garden. In everything we do, we are committed to nurturing an exciting creative and cultural future for Scotland.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a charity supported by funding from Creative Scotland and Perth & Kinross Council. It is also grateful to the many individual donors, trusts and foundations, and corporate partners who continue to support the Theatre in its vision.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a registered Scottish Charity. No SC013055
Pitlochry Festival Theatre gratefully acknowledges support from:
