The National Theatre of Scotland has announced the world premiere production of James Graham’s new play Make It Happen starring Brian Cox.
The drama charts the rise and fall of The Royal Bank of Scotland, led by Fred “The Shred” Goodwin, and promises to be a bitingly funny new satire that delves into the unchecked growth, spiralling greed and nail-biting hubris that brought the world’s economy to its knees.
Goodwin’s fervent belief in the wisdom of the ‘founder of modern capitalism’, Adam Smith, led the once prudent RBS to soar and then plummet, placing Scotland at the heart of the global financial crash of 2008.
Set in Edinburgh, Make it Happen will star multi-award-winning actor Brian Cox (Succession, The Score), returning to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade playing Adam Smith, the ghost of fiscal past.
Written by James Graham (Sherwood, Dear England), Make It Happen will be directed by Andrew Panton, Artistic Director of Dundee Rep Theatre.
The creative team also includes Set Designer, Costume Co-Designer & Video Co-Designer Anna Fleischle; Associate Set Designer & Costume Co-Designer Angelica Rush; Musical Supervisor and Arranger Martin Lowe; Movement Director Emily Jane Boyle; Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell; Sound Designer Tingying Dong; Video Co-Designer Lewis den Hertog; and Casting Director Stuart Burt CDG.
The show is a National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival and Dundee Rep Theatre co-production, in association with West End producers Playful Productions and Neal Street Productions.
Previews will begin at Dundee Rep in late July 2025, with full dates to be announced soon. The production will then play the Festival Theatre during the Edinburgh International Festival, from 30 July to 9 August 2025.
There’s no news about a possible West End transfer for the production.
Yesterday, The National Theatre of Scotland announced that another of their productions, The Fifth Step, will be transferring to London this year. Jack Lowden is to reprise his acclaimed performance in David Ireland’s play, alongside Martin Freeman, at the West End’s @sohoplace in London from May 2025.
Brian Cox is about to star in the West End premiere of Oliver Cotton’s play The Score, directed by Trevor Nunn, and playing the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket from 20 February 2025.
Current productions of James Graham’s plays include Dear England starring Gwilym Lee, which is returning to the National Theatre in London from 10 March to 24 May 2025, and also playing a four-week run at the Lowry theatre in Salford from 29 May; new drama Punch, which is transferring to London’s Young Vic theatre in March; and a national tour for Graham’s stage adaptation of Alan Bleasdale TV drama Boys from The Blackstuff.
More about tickets to Make It Happen
What They Said
Writer James Graham said in a statement: “Like many writers, an Edinburgh stage is the first place ever I dared put a full play in front of an audience. To be invited to join the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival programme this summer is an honour and a thrill. And to work with the National Theatre of Scotland, the Dundee Rep, and of course – Brian Cox, whom I’ve been desperate to write for as long as I can remember. We still live in the long shadow of the 2008 financial crash and our inability to reset from that inheritance and its divisive legacies, so it feels right to be interrogating it artistically. But we hope to do so in a show full of music and story, larger-than-life characters, cheeky humour, and some ghosts from Scotland’s centuries’ long past thrown in as well…”
Director Andrew Panton said: ”It’s a personal honour and huge responsibility to tell what became a global story that started in the city close to where I grew up. Working with an exceptionally talented cast, creative and production teams, I’m excited to be directing this new play, bringing it to audiences at Dundee Rep Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival stages.”
Actor Brian Cox said: “I’m excited to be doing a play written by James Graham who is such a great writer. It’s been a long time since I played in Scotland – it’s good to be back.”
Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland, said: “I am thrilled that audiences will get to experience the combined talents of James Graham and Brian Cox, taking on the collapse of Royal Bank of Scotland in this epic new play, directed by the gifted Andrew Panton, produced in partnership with the brilliant institutions, Dundee Rep and Edinburgh International Festival. Dealing with seismic global moments that have shaped our national psyche, at the world’s most significant arts Festival is the perfect project for the National Theatre of Scotland and we are truly proud of this special collaboration.”
Nicola Benedetti, Edinburgh International Festival Director, said: “We are extremely proud to present a brand-new play by James Graham, Make It Happen, which will open the 2025 International Festival in August. This co-commission with the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep demonstrates our ongoing commitment to bringing vital Scottish stories to the world stage, and invites us to examine events that took place in Edinburgh but rippled across the globe. Illuminating this year’s festival theme ‘The Truth We Seek’, Make It Happen exemplifies the level of ambition and thought-provoking work that defines the Edinburgh International Festival. We cannot wait to see you there.”
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