NTS 'in dialogue' to revive productions through commercial partnerships as it unveils 2027 programme

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The National Theatre of Scotland is “in dialogue” to revive some of its most successful shows through commercial partnerships in a move which could see major hits toured outside of Scotland.

Shows including Alan Cumming’s The High Life could potentially be brought back working with commercial partners, which would generate income for NTS to create more “risk-taking” Scottish work.

Speaking as Scotland’s national theatre unveiled its 2027 programme, NTS artistic director Jackie Wylie said successful partnerships to tour productions such as the Fifth Step, which starred Jack Lowden, had opened doors for a “future life” for other productions, adding that NTS was in discussions over “one or more” existing productions.

A revival of the stage play of iconic 1990 novel The Trick is to Keep Breathing by Janice Galloway and a touring production of a look at Scotland’s pantomimes by writer and performer Johnny McKnight are among highlights of NTS’s programme for next year.

The High Life was a hit earlier this year. | NTS

The Trick is to Keep Breathing is to be performed from an adaptation created in 1995 by the late director and writer Michael Boyd and toured to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Pitlochry in May and June 2027. Meanwhile, Mr McKnight’s show He’s Behind You, which was originally performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, looks at the performer’s long career in Scottish panto, playing 18 dames and writing more than 30 pantomimes. It will tour to Scotland, England and Northern Ireland from September to October next year.

Meanwhile, the story of an Indian army Battalion sent to train in Scotland during the Second World War and a personal tale of a man with a rare form of dementia are to be turned into theatre pieces through the True Story series, announced last year as part of the theatre’s 20th anniversary celebrations, which called for Scots to submit personal stories to be turned into theatre.

Ms Wylie said: “We proudly share undertold stories and hidden histories rooted in time, place, and nationhood. Our season this year asks important questions about power, who wields it and how it can be reclaimed. It honours artistic legends, brilliant works of literature and brings back beloved projects.”

She said announcements on future commercial partnerships for NTS productions would be made next year.

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She said: “We now have a set of relationships where we can work with partners to bring work back to life. We've been really, really delighted with all of the recent success of our programme and we're in active conversations with partners about bringing back some of those successful shows.

“If we are in the fortunate position of being able to raise income through our work, then that money will go back into making new work, and there's something amazing about that, which is, if there is an opportunity for shows that are successful to then have another commercial life, then any income raised from that goes back into making really bold risk-taking new Scottish work.”

Recent major productions for NTS have included The musical version of 1990s TV show the High Life, starring Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson and Siobhan Redmond and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which toured to four Scottish theatres this autumn with Gayle Rankin in the title role.

Ms Wylie said she believed a revival of The High Life had “potential”, adding it had been funded by NTS because it “felt like a really important thing to do”. The show was based on the BBC comedy series about a small Scottish airline.

She said: “I think people want to see The High Life and and when you have a show where people want to buy tickets, then there's the possibility [of future success].”

Jackie Wylie | Kirsty Anderson

Other new work to be showcased in 2027 includes When Our Time Comes - a new thriller for the stage, written and directed by Scotland-based artist Adura Onashile, which will explore cycles of violence and post-colonial legacies. It will previews at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow in July, prior to an Edinburgh world premiere in August.

Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, a herd of life-sized animal puppets including a wildebeest, gorilla, giraffe, an elephant and reindeer, will parade into Princes Street Gardens in June, accompanied by acoustic marching bands. THE HERDS procession will culminate in a short performance spectacle at the Ross Bandstand.

The new announcements come in addition to the already-revealed play The Young Team, which is being adapted for the stage from Graeme Armstrong’s novel by playwright Kieran Hurley.

Ms Wylie said True Story had attracted over 200 entries from across Scotland.

Shared by Dr Saqib Razzaq of Colourful Heritage, The Story of Force K6 will tell how men of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps fought alongside the Allies in France for months before being sent to Scotland in 1942 to train in mountain warfare in Highland villages ahead of planned military activity in Norway. While in Scotland, 13 of their men died and their Highlands graves were tended for seven decades by local woman Isobel Harling.

The true story, alongside that of The Story of Hamey and Dan, submitted by Anne Tierney, who cared for her husband as he battled frontotemporal dementia, have been selected from all submissions. NTS decided to produce both of the two finalists, rather than put them to public vote as planned. A public “showing”, which may not be final productions, of both plays will be performed by the end of next year.

Ms Wylie said: “The whole experience was so joyous because there's something so affirming about the brilliant general population of Scotland actually being so engaged with their national theatre that they were invested enough to submit their stories. We felt they were both worth amplification, so rather than just rather than there being a competitive element, we thought we should tell both of these stories.”

Ms Wylie said recent discussions with the Scottish Government had been “positive” over increasing funding for the national performing companies, which also include Scottish Ballet, the RSNO, the SCO and Scottish Opera.

Previously, the national performing companies have warned they have received “static” grants. The RSNO recently said it was facing “some of the most serious challenges in a generation” as it posted the first financial deficit in over a decade.

She said: “We're in really positive conversations. The Scottish Government has really been listening to the national performing companies on the challenges that they have been facing and we're working in collaboration with them to find a positive outcome.”