James VI: First and Last

James VI: First and Last has its world premiere at the Festival Theatre from Friday 24 September to Saturday 2 October 2027. It's written by Rona Munro and directed by Rufus Norris, and it marks the finale of The James Plays, the cycle Munro has been writing since the first trilogy premiered back in 2014. That first set saw the National Theatre of Scotland, the National Theatre of Great Britain, and the Edinburgh International Festival each take one of the 15th and 16th-century Stewart monarchs as its subject.

This instalment follows the mind of James VI, the first monarch to unite the crowns of Scotland and England, as he navigates shifting loyalties and religious turmoil. Along the way, Munro gives voice to the women in his life and to the romance and tragic passion of his queer history. It's a Raw Material and Capital Theatres co-production in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts. Munro has made a point of saying that the earlier plays don't need to have been seen and no prior knowledge is required, so you can jump in here without having caught the rest of the cycle.

Rufus Norris directs, and this is his Scottish directing debut. Before this, he spent a decade as Artistic Director and Chief Executive of London's National Theatre. The full cast will be announced in early 2027, so we'll find out who's taking the role of James a bit closer to the time.

After the Edinburgh run, the production goes on a Scottish tour: King's Theatre in Glasgow from 5-9 October, Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling from 14-16 October, Eden Court in Inverness from 21-23 October, and His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen from 27-30 October. Tickets at the Festival Theatre range from £15 to £40, with evening performances at 7.30pm and matinees at 2.30pm. The running time is around 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval.