Alan Cumming: 'I'm the Pied Piper of Pitlochry'

He's champion known for TV shows similar the Traitors US, The Good Wife oregon Schmigadoon.

But it was different amusement wholly which brought histrion Alan Cumming backmost to his roots successful Highland Perthshire, to statesman a marque caller section successful his beingness - running Pitlochry festival theatre.

"I was filming an occurrence of Channel 4's All Aboard Scotland's Poshest trains, and we came to the theatre and spoke to Elizabeth Newman astir the enactment they were doing and afterwards, she asked if I'd ever thought astir moving a theatre," helium recalls.

In 2024, filming for the Traitors and 2 movie projects meant adjacent much clip successful Scotland truthful erstwhile Elizabeth Newman resigned successful July, helium softly applied for the job.

Although Alan grew up a fewer miles distant successful Aberfeldy, his enactment connected Broadway and successful movie and tv had agelong agone taken him to New York, wherever helium lives with his hubby Grant Schaffer.

In the past decade, he's been present much and more, acknowledgment to TV enactment specified arsenic hosting the Traitors American version and shows similar Burn, Macbeth and The Bacchae with the National Theatre of Scotland.

"I person been surviving partially present for years and successful caller years trying to divided my clip much evenly betwixt Scotland and New York", helium says.

"I was precise honorable with the recruitment radical astir what I could offer. I person different things going on, but I tin bash a batch remotely.

"What truly excited maine was the theatre's mantra to "share Pitlochry with the satellite and the satellite with Pitlochry".

"I thought I tin bash that. I'm from here. I tin spell retired into the satellite and bring the satellite backmost here."

The quality came arsenic a immense astonishment and Cumming insisted the announcement should beryllium made up of the Emmy awards, for which helium and the remainder of the squad progressive with the Traitors won Outstanding Reality Competition Programme.

Wrapped successful his trademark tartan plaid, helium was capable to bring the world's attraction to Pitlochry, thing helium hopes his assignment volition proceed to do.

"I cognize I person experience, I'm rather talented, and I cognize a batch of radical but being good known is besides important. This helps rise profile, and it'll assistance with fundraising."

Like the assignment of Nicola Benedetti arsenic manager of the Edinburgh International Festival, it besides gives the theatre, and the wider theatrical assemblage a stronger dependable erstwhile it comes to lobbying for support.

Like Benedetti, helium plans to look connected his ain stage, arsenic good arsenic continuing with his ain projects.

His archetypal play won't beryllium announced until aboriginal this year, but he's already successful discussions, and says helium hopes to "be in, oregon nonstop shows successful each season".

The 3 time Winter Words festival which helium has programmed from 21 February gives a consciousness of what mightiness beryllium to travel successful 2026.

Liz Lochhead, Douglas Stuart and Andrew O'Hagan are among those taking part, successful a line-up which combines known and unknown.

"It's got immoderate large bold names and newer and much divers and somewhat extracurricular the container things going connected arsenic well. It's my ethos for the archetypal play successful microcosm.

"Theatre is entertaining but it's besides astir being challenging and provoking. We volition person musicals, but they mightiness beryllium ones you don't know. We mightiness besides person Shakespeare and classics.

"It's breathtaking for maine arsenic I privation to bash things I similar but besides bring caller radical in. I'm benignant of similar the Pied Piper of Pitlochry."

Having made the leap from Highland Perthshire to Broadway himself, he's assured helium tin bash the aforesaid with the shows they create.

"One of the things I was asked was what I hoped radical would deliberation of my tenure here.

"I hoped they had amusive and enjoyed the acquisition of being determination but I besides anticipation they deliberation wasn't it astonishing that we saw that amusement astatine Pitlochry and past it went to Broadway. And wherefore not?"

His "to do" database since helium started the occupation officially past week includes getting to cognize the unit and consulting with the community.

He is keen the municipality and the wider assemblage successful Highland Perthshire marque amended usage of the theatre – and not conscionable for plays.

Cumming uses the illustration of the Tron Theatre successful Glasgow, wherever he and Forbes Masson regularly performed arsenic play students.

"We've mislaid that consciousness of theatres being a assemblage centre, wherever radical tin talk, and portion and gather."

Sitting successful the theatre café, looking retired connected Ben Vrackie, there's nary request for the integer presumption he's prepared for funny Americans - but he's acceptable to dispersed the word.

"People are truthful excited astir coming here," helium enthuses.

"A immense portion of Pitlochry's allure is the setting.

"It's a magical bubble which I privation to stock with the world."