Alan Cumming’s Macbeth set to hit Broadway

THE National Theatre of Scotland is set to take centre stage on Broadway with its first major production there – Alan Cumming’s one-man depiction of Macbeth.

The Perthshire actor will be returning to the scene of his career-defining triumph in Cabaret with the production, which wowed audiences in Glasgow when it had its world premiere last year.

It is expected to be the highest profile ever for a Scottish production on Broadway and is another massive coup for the National Theatre of Scotland, (NTS) which has enjoyed huge success with previous touring productions Black Watch and The Bacchae; the latter also starred Cumming.

The show will be directed by outgoing NTS associate director John Tiffany following the huge success of his production of Once on Broadway, which won eight Tony Awards last year.

It will have a 73-performance run at the famous Ethel Barrymore Theatre, on 42nd Street, from 7 April to 30 June.

The 1,000-capacity venue has previously played host to stars such as Fred Astaire, Dame Judi Dench, Al Pacino and Susan Sarandon.

Although it will be the eighth time NTS has staged a production in New York, this will be the first major production to be staged in one of Broadway’s celebrated theatres.

It is being brought to the stage by independent American producer Ken Davenport, whose previous productions have grossed more than $100 million (£63m) around the world.

NTS is already taking its most successful show, Black Watch, to the US this year, with runs in San Francisco and Seattle planned, along with a return to Glasgow.