Watch: Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson Reunite for A History of Paper

There’s a moment in every rehearsal room where a show stops being pages of script and starts being alive. We’ve caught exactly that moment on camera – and you can watch it before anyone else.

In this exclusive first-look video, Olivier winner Alan Cumming and BAFTA winner Shirley Henderson step into the rehearsal room to perform “Turn Back the Page” together for the very first time as a stage duo, giving you an intimate glimpse at these two major performers bringing their own chemistry to a story that first captivated audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024.

A History of Paper is a story about a man, a woman, and the small scraps of paper that quietly add up to a life together. The chemistry of these two characters was central to why the show became one of the most talked-about pieces of the 2024 Fringe:

“Wonderfully tender, never sentimental.” – Musical Theatre Review

Now the show returns with a new pairing at its heart. Watching Alan and Shirley find their way into these characters together, in the rehearsal room, for the first time, is a rare chance to see a partnership take shape.

Don’t wait to book

A History of Paper runs for a limited time only at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 9 August – 12 September 2026.

Watching two performers of this calibre is a rare thing to witness on video, but seeing them live and in the room is rarer still. With a limited run and a story this personal, tickets for A History of Paper are flying out the door, so don’t miss your chance to see this once in a lifetime production.

Book your tickets for A History of Paper now →

This is a co-production between Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre, and part of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s 75th Anniversary Season.