Cast for William Wallace hip hop musical tour revealed

Wallace: A Musical has announced its six-strong cast ahead of an autumn 2026 Scottish tour.

Produced by Raw Material, the show returns as a redeveloped large-scale production following its original presentation as a co-production between Raw Material and A Play, A Pie and a Pint at Oran Mor in September 2025.

The production follows Raw Material’s recent reco gnition with nine CATS Award nominations across Windblown, Saint Joan and Wallace.

Featuring music and lyrics by Dave Hook and a book by Rob Drummond, the musical is directed by Orla O’Loughlin and tours from 23 September to 3 October 2026.

Hook explained the concept: “Hip Hop is folk music, representing its surroundings and drawing out stories woven into the fabric of a place. Wordplay around language, dialect and accent feature in all sorts of ways in everyday Scottish life.

“Wallace gives us the opportunity to tell stories, ask questions and make connections across centuries of Scottish history, finding reflections and refractions in historical characters and contemporary lives.”

The cast will include returning performers Dave Hook, Patricia Panther and Manasa Tagica, alongside new cast members Ross Mann, Kimberley Mandindo and Madeline Grieve.

The musical revisits the story of William Wallace, re-examining the historical figure and his legacy through a score that incorporates hip hop, rap, folk, pop and rock influences. The production uses rap battles and contemporary storytelling to explore questions around national identity and ownership of history.

Drummond added: “I knew I wanted to create a show about William Wallace, I just didn’t know it would be a hip-hop musical. When I met Dave it all clicked. The play explores Wallace’s legacy in a way that speaks to Scotland today. Working together, we set out to re-examine the myth, the man and what he represents now.”

O’Loughlin concluded: “The invitation to bring Wallace to the stage felt both irresistible and impossible – Irresistible in that it meant collaborating with the incredible Rob and Dave and in doing so assemble a ridiculously skilled ensemble of actors – Impossible in that we had two weeks to create it at A Play A Pie and a Pint. The overwhelming response to the original production at Oran Mor however, proved that this exhilarating mix of mythology and history, despair and hope, high drama and pure comedy, speaks directly to contemporary Scotland – a rallying political cry, wrapped up in an extraordinarily good night out!”

The production will preview at Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock before performances at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow and the newly refurbished King’s Theatre in Edinburgh. Further dates for 2027 are due to be announced with support from the Creative Scotland Touring Fund.