Dundee Rep unveils packed 2026 season with world premieres, major revivals, and a focus on community

Picture: Dundee Rep Theatre / Facebook

Dundee Rep Theatre has launched its 2026 season, promising a year packed with world premieres, bold new work, Scottish favourites, and a renewed focus on community.

To mark the announcement, Rep participants created a special film shot across Dundee, highlighting the theatre’s deep and growing connection to the city.

The season begins with a major moment. After three decades stuck in the departure lounge, The High Life finally takes flight as a brand-new musical. The original cast, including Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Siobhan Redmond and Patrick Ryecart, reunites for the world premiere under the direction of Artistic Director Andrew Panton.

Co-written by Johnny McKnight, Cumming and Masson, the show opens in Dundee in late March before touring Scotland, returning to the Rep in May.

April sees the return of Rep Stripped, the theatre’s festival of fresh ideas and new voices. Curated this year by Fraser Scott, the festival has previously showcased early versions of acclaimed productions including No Love Songs.

Submissions for artists looking to take part will open in January, with the Rep continuing to champion experimentation and emerging talent.

Later in spring comes a new staging of Educating Rita, directed by award-winning director Debbie Hannan.

The modern classic follows Rita, a hairdresser seeking to transform her life through education, and Frank, the weary tutor who unexpectedly finds purpose again.

Running from late May to mid June, the production offers Dundee audiences a heartfelt revival of one of Britain’s best-loved plays.

Summer brings a major new collaboration. The Singer, created by Cora Bissett and Jamie Rea with music by KT Tunstall, tells the powerful story of Joe, a Deaf artist who performs with his hands, and Andy, a musician desperate for a second chance.

Blending gig-theatre and drama, it previews in Dundee in July before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, Glasgow and Aberdeen, returning to the Rep in September.

The season also features the return of Tony Roper’s much-loved The Steamie, inviting audiences into a 1950s Glasgow washhouse filled with laughter, friendship and Hogmanay warmth. It runs in Dundee from late August to mid September as part of a nationwide tour.

Around the same time, Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson star in a new production of A History of Paper, the award-winning musical that first captivated Fringe audiences in 2024. After a run at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, it arrives at Dundee Rep in mid September.

The Rep’s major co-productions continue into autumn, with further details to be revealed early next year.

The 2026 season then wraps up in festive style with a magical new revival of The Snow Queen, created by Noisemaker and directed by Emily Oulton.

The show runs from late November until the end of December, bringing music, spectacle and winter magic back to the Dundee stage.

Alongside these productions, the Rep has unveiled new affordability initiatives, including £15 tickets for all Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre shows and £5 previews for under 30s.

A new free ticket scheme will also support individuals and communities with limited access to the arts, ensuring the building remains open and welcoming to everyone.

The year will also mark Scottish Dance Theatre’s 40th anniversary, with full details of its celebrations coming in January.

The announcement comes as Dundee faces proposed cuts to arts funding, prompting the Rep to emphasise its cultural, social and economic value to the city. Artistic Director Andrew Panton said the season highlights the organisation’s commitment to Dundee’s identity and future, adding that he hopes residents will engage with the consultation and continue supporting the city’s creative sector.

With world premieres, returning favourites and big collaborations on the horizon, Dundee Rep Theatre enters 2026 with ambition, community pride and a programme that places the city firmly at the heart of Scotland’s cultural landscape.