Behold the rise, fall and fail of the biggest bank in the world – The Royal Bank of Scotland.  

Helmed by Fred “The Shred” Goodwin, with his fervent belief in the wisdom of the ‘founder of modern capitalism’, Adam Smith, the once prudent RBS soars and then plummets, placing Scotland at the heart of the global financial crash of 2008.  

Set in Edinburgh, Make It Happen sees legendary actor Brian Cox return to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade as Adam Smith, the ghost of fiscal past. Following his outstanding performance in Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, Sandy Grierson takes on the role of Goodwin. Written by James Graham (Sherwood, Dear England), hailed as one of the most influential and finger-on-the-pulse writers of our time, and directed by Dundee Rep Artistic Director Andrew Panton, this bitingly funny new satire delves into the unchecked growth, spiralling greed and nail-biting hubris that brought the world’s economy to its knees. 

Make it Happen will preview at Dundee Rep Theatre in late July before its World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in August. 

A co-production between National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival and Dundee Rep Theatre

In association with Playful Productions and Neal Street Productions

Supported by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown.

This is a fictionalised satire, featuring a mixture of characters and incidents inspired by real-life events, with others entirely imagined.

Image by David Vintiner.

Creative team

Writer James Graham
Director Andrew Panton
Set Designer, Costume Co-Designer & Video Co-Designer Anna Fleischle
Movement Director Emily Jane Boyle
Musical Supervisor and Arranger Martin Lowe
Costume Co-Designer and Associate Set Designer Angelica Rush
Video Co-Designer & Animator Lewis den Hertog
Sound Designer Tingying Dong
Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell
Associate Director Emily Oulton
Associate Sound Designer Tom Penny
Associate Movement Director Mikah Smillie
Casting Director Stuart Burt CDG

Cast

Brian Cox  Adam Smith
Sandy Grierson  Fred Goodwin

Full cast list still to be announced