We are thrilled to announce the full cast joining Sandy Grierson and Brian Cox in Make It Happen.

Written by James Graham and directed by Andrew Panton, Make It Happen is a new play telling the story of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s role in the 2008 financial crisis, previewing at Dundee Rep Theatre before premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival in July and August later this year.

It was previously announced that Brian Cox would be playing Adam Smith, with Sandy Grierson playing Fred Goodwin, the former RBS CEO.

They are joined in this world premiere production by a large ensemble cast who will play a range of other characters including Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and Chancellor, Alistair Darling, former Chancellor, Maggie Darling, Alistair’s wife, Shriti Vadera, Laura Kuenssberg and key players at the Royal Bank of Scotland. They will be joined on stage by live musicians.

The full cast is Sandy Batchelor, Andy Clark, Maya Bassi Curtis, Callum Cuthbertson, Charlotte Delima, Hannah Donaldson, Kirsty Findlay, Lorraine Graham, Graham Mackay-Bruce, David Mara, Ann Louise Ross, Lawrence Smith, Declan Spaine and Gavin Jon Wright.

Andrew Panton, director, said

“It’s an honour to collaborate with such a brilliantly talented cast and creative team to tell this important story. We’re all excited to be creating this show at Dundee Rep Theatre, where our local audiences will have the first chance to see Brian Cox, returning to where he started his career. To then bring the show to the world’s largest arts festival, in the city where our story begins, is a hugely exciting opportunity.”

Sandy Grierson (Fred Goodwin) is a celebrated Scottish actor of stage and screen. He recently appeared as the talking Shinagawa Monkey in acclaimed new international production, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey (Vanishing Point/Kanagawa Arts Theatre). Best known on screen for Lockerbie, Shetland and Outlander, Grierson’s extensive stage credits include Lanark (Citizens Theatre/Edinburgh International Festival), As You Like It, Measure for Measure (RSC) and The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler (Vanishing Point/National Theatre of Scotland).

Brian Cox (Adam Smith) is an award-winning Scottish actor, known for his work on stage and screen. Born in Dundee, he trained at Dundee Rep Theatre before going on to work at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company where he first gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear.

His numerous accolades include two Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Recent entries on his extensive list of theatre credits include Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Wyndham’s Theatre) and The Score (Theatre Royal Bath and Theatre Royal Haymarket). His screen work includes Succession (HBO), Braveheart (Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox) and Nuremberg (TNT).

Brian returns to Scottish stages for the first time in a decade, last appearing on Scottish stages in 2015 in Waiting For Godot at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. He previously worked with National Theatre of Scotland in 2020 when he played Inspector Rebus in a special digital short, John Rebus: The Lockdown Blues written by Ian Rankin for their lockdown Scenes for Survival series, created in partnership with BBC Scotland.

Andy Clark is one of Scotland’s most prolific stage actors, recently seen in the world premiere production of Wild Rose (Royal Lyceum/Caledonia Productions) and the award-winning So Young (Traverse Theatre/Raw Material/Citizens Theatre). He performed in over 20 productions as a former member of Dundee Rep’s Ensemble and is known on screen for appearances in The Da Vinci Code, The Control Room, and BAFTA Scotland award-winning productions Float (Black Camel Pictures) and Guilt (BBC).

Sandy Batchelor will shortly be appearing in Danny Boyle’s highly anticipated 28 Years Later (Columbia/Sony). Sandy recently appeared in the sophomore season of SAS: Rogue Heroes (Kudos) and is also known for The Capture (BBC) and Ordeal by Innocence. On stage Sandy has featured in Red Ellen (Royal Lyceum Theatre), Leave to Remain (Lyric, Hammersmith) and Othello (National Theatre).

Lorraine Graham has performed on stages across the UK and worldwide with appearances including Glasgow Kiss at Glasgow’s Pavilion, The Steamie (SSE Hydro), Sunshine on Leith at Leeds Playhouse/UK tour; Alice in Wonderland at Cairo Opera House and Les Miserables in the West End. Lorraine appears in the musical-comedy feature Disenchanted (Walt Disney Pictures).

Charlotte Delima is a British Indian actress and writer. She trained at RADA and was the winner of the Lilian Baylis Award and The John Gielgud Charitable Trust Award. She recently made her professional stage debut playing Indira in Make Good: The Post Office Scandal (Pentabus/New Perspectives).

Callum Cuthbertson is known for roles in Not Another Happy Ending (Synchronicity Films) and Breaking the Waves (Zentropa Films). He is a regular on TV with appearances in Scot Squad, Still Game and as Gary’s dad in Gary: Tank Commander (Series I, II & III). His prolific stage career includes Glasgow Girls (National Theatre of Scotland/Stratford East) and Mother Courage, The Graduate and Dumbstruck (Dundee Rep).

Gavin Jon Wright recently toured the UK and Ireland in the epic production Death of a Salesman (Raw Material/Trafalgar). Gavin was seen recently in comedy sketch show, Stevens & McCarthy (BBC Scotland), Unfair (Young Films, Channel 4) and River City (BBC Scotland). Theatre performances include the award-winning Square Go and VL (Francesca Moody Productions), Nae Expectations (Tron Theatre) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland).

Ann Louise Ross is a multi-award-winning Dundee Rep Ensemble member. She is well known for her role as Grannie Island in Katie Morag (CBeebies). Extensive screen credits include Good Omens 2, Trainspotting and The Acid House Trilogy. Recent theatre performances include Doubt (Dundee Rep), Peter Gynt (National Theatre/ Edinburgh International Festival) and Cyprus Avenue (Tron Theatre).

Declan Spaine has just finished playing the titular role in Hamilton in the West End. Other theatre credits include Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland) and Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical (Playful Productions). Film includes The Gossip (F-5 Films) and Wasteman (Agile Films).

Hannah Donaldson is best known for her role as Lara Bartlett in two series of Granite Harbour (LA Production/BBC). Hannah recently finished filming on the new Doctor Who spin off series The War Between the Land and the Sea (BBC/Disney+) and will join feature film Miss Pirrie and Miss Woods (BFI/Screen Scotland). Theatre credits include The Enemy (National Theatre of Scotland) and The Cherry Orchard (Royal Lyceum Theatre).

Lawrence Smith is a musical theatre graduate who has appeared in Avenue Q (UK tour) and Brass (Union Theatre). Lawrence featured in the BAFTA award-winning comedy Dinosaur (BBC/Hulu). Other theatre credits include The Outrun (Royal Lyceum Theatre/Edinburgh International Festival) and The Divide (The Old Vic).

David Mara recently appeared in Zack Snyder's Justice League and comedy drama film Phantom of the Open. Stage appearances include Hamlet, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The School for Scandal (RSC); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Sonia Friedman Productions), Let the Right One In (USA tour) and The James Plays (National Theatre of Scotland).

Kirsty Findlay was Olivier Award-nominated for “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” in 2017 together with the cast of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour (National Theatre of Scotland/Live Theatre). Kirsty’s prolific music and theatre work includes The Sound of Music, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Footloose (Pitlochry Festival Theatre) and Islander: The Musical (Helen Milne Productions, New York Off-Broadway, UK tour and London transfer).

Maya Bassi Curtis trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and with Stratford East Young Company. Maya recently appeared in Māyā: The Musical @sohoplace and We All Know How This Ends (Stratford East Theatre).

Graham Mackay-Bruce is currently filming an episode of Gifted for CBBC and can also be seen in Outlander. Graham’s stage credits include Othello (RSC), Hedda Gabler and Measure for Measure (Bard in the Botanics) and The Duchess of Malfi (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Citizens Theatre).

Make It Happen will preview at Dundee Rep Theatre from Friday 18 July to Saturday 26 July, before heading to Edinburgh International Festival, previewing on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 July before opening on Friday 1 August and running until Saturday 9 August.

A co-production by National Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival. Presented in association with Playful Productions and Neal Street Productions.

More info here.