The High Life Musical Review: Alan Cumming's Deliriously Silly Panto Revival
In a vibrant return to the stage, Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson have revived their cult 1994 TV sitcom, The High Life, in a new musical production titled The High Life: The Musical, Still Living It! at Dundee Rep. This spin-off, co-written by Johnny McKnight along with the original creators, dives headfirst into pantomime territory, delivering a festival of wisecracks and gags that reference figures from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Sheena Easton, with an asthma joke alone touted as worth the ticket price.
A Pantomime Spirit with Deep Roots
The production embraces its panto roots through direct audience address, community singalongs, and exuberant design elements by Colin Richmond, including a two-dimensional Brigadoon hotel with tartan wallpaper. Highlights include an underwater neon-tube dance, a man-size dog, and two costume changes at the curtain call, all contributing to a joyful and immersive experience.
Reuniting the original cast, Cumming stars as Sebastian Flight and Masson as Steve McCracken, the brittle flight attendants of micro-budget airline Air Scotia. They are joined by a turbocharged Siobhan Redmond as Shona Spurtle and a spaced-out Patrick Ryecart as Captain Hilary Duff. Supported by a high-energy ensemble including Rachael Kendall Brown, Louise McCarthy, and Kyle Gardiner, the cast romps through Masson's excellent songs, which blend Broadway and Eurovision styles with clever internal rhymes and high laughs.
Plot and Underlying Themes
The Beano-esque plot revolves around the threatened takeover of Air Scotia by UK Air and a diversion into the time-warped Lower Largo Triangle. While primarily a comedic romp, the story subtly raises serious questions, echoing themes from Rob Drummond's adaptation of The Broons, such as aging with dignity, reconciling with the past, and refreshing self-image in a changing world.
Directed by Andrew Panton for Dundee Rep and the National Theatre of Scotland, the production is described as one big, happy laugh, running at Dundee Rep until 4 April before touring until 23 May. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of panto and musical theatre, offering audiences a deliriously silly yet thought-provoking experience.
