Back in The High Life: Victor and Barry return
The partnership between Forbes Masson and Alan Cumming made them stars and now the pair will revisit their most famous characters over the next few years.
It was while they were studying drama at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow that they created Victor and Barry, and last week a publication date of July 2024 was announced for a new book celebrating the duo.
“It’s to celebrate 40 years since we created the characters, although it’s taken a wee bit longer to get the book out,” Forbes said.
“Alan and I met at drama school and put our names down for the annual Christmas cabaret that the first-year students performed for the rest of the school. Someone suggested we work together, so we went into a rehearsal room and came up with these characters.
“I got my Equity card through it, and then we went on to do the Edinburgh Festival, TV shows and a tour of Australia.”
Their other famous creation, the shortlived but much-loved sitcom The High Life, is also making its long-awaited return after a 30-year break – this time on stage.
“We’ve been commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland to write a musical for 2025,” Forbes continued. “The plan is to have the original cast. I’m writing it with Johnny McKnight and Alan is involved as well.
“I used to write The Tron pantos and Johnny took those on. I feel we have a connection and we clicked – he understands the camp humour and Music Hall style. We’ve been working on the outline and really enjoying it.
“Alan and I used to come up with these shows just to make each other laugh. It felt like we had an almost telepathic connection and an extraordinary rapport. Hopefully that will still be there on stage.”
While the pair might resist calls to bring The High Life back to TV - “we can get away with it on stage, people are further away and can’t see how old we are” - Forbes will be back on screens soon in the final series of The Crown.
“I play this interesting character, a Scottish photographer, but I can’t give too much away,” he added. “It was tremendous to be invited on to that massive show.
“I filmed in Aviemore and London and had a scene with Imelda Staunton. It was quite a bittersweet time, as we were filming after the Queen had sadly died, but it was a great experience.”