The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie tour with Gayle Rankin completes casting

The full cast and creative team have been revealed for the new production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, adapted by David Harrower from Muriel Spark’s novel and directed by Vicky Featherstone.

Presented by the National Theatre of Scotland in partnership with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the production stars Gayle Rankin in the title role.

The production also marks a homecoming for Rankin, who appeared as one of the schoolgirls in the Royal Lyceum’s 2003 production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie before going on to an international stage and screen career.

Joining Rankin are Maureen Beattie as Miss MacKay, Liberty Black as Mary Macgregor, Dyfan Dwyfor as Teddy Lloyd, Brian Ferguson as Gordon Lowther, Sophie Fortune as Joyce Emily, Tallulah Greive as Monica Douglas, Shreya Khaund Marshall as Jenny Gray and Bobby Rainsbury as Sandy Stranger.

The production opens at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, following previews from 2 October, with the official opening night on 9 October. It then tours to the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, with performances running until 7 November.

The creative team includes casting director Stuart Burt, casting for National Theatre of Scotland by Robyn Ferguson, set designer Chloe Lamford, costume designer Anna Orton, lighting designer Lizzie Powell, video designer Lewis den Hertog, sound designer and music composer Pippa Murphy, movement director Charlotte McLean, with music by Anna Meredith, and associate director Sally Reid.

Harrower’s adaptation was originally staged at the Donmar Warehouse in 2018 and has been revised for this new production, marking its first performance in Scotland. The production also marks 60 years since the premiere of the original stage adaptation.

Set at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls in Edinburgh, the story follows charismatic teacher Jean Brodie, who selects a group of pupils she intends to shape through her own philosophy and ideals, with increasingly complicated consequences.

Featherstone said: “As we hurtle towards the first day of rehearsal for The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, I am so excited to be working with this incredible group of actors and creatives, led by Gayle Rankin, and with a spicy new version by David Harrower which seeks to honour everything that Spark gave us while creating something which feels urgent, surprising and fresh. We are all looking forward to bringing all the thrilling complexity that is Brodie to life once again for Scottish audiences.”