National Theatre of Scotland

Dionysus - icon and hedonist - has come home with his cult of female Bacchae to clear his mother's name.

A charismatic, forceful figure, his very presence enraptures the local women, awakening their own bacchic spirit. They worship him and perform his sensual rituals with a fierce, animalistic devotion.

This vibrant production puts song and choreography at its core and is directed by the National Theatre of Scotland's John Tiffany, the award-winning director of Black Watch.

Returning to the Scottish stage after 16 years in a role he was born to play, Alan Cumming is Dionysus and Tony Curran his nemesis Pentheus, the repressed King of Thebes.

From the spectacular opening to the bloody and terrible final moments, The Bacchae is one of this year's major theatre events.

David Greig: "astonishingly prolific - he is also one of the most intellectually stimulating dramatists around."
The Guardian

"The sheer brilliance of John Tiffany’s production . . . must be considered a major tipping point for the potential of what theatre can be in this country."
The Herald on NTS's Black Watch

Notes : A co-production between the Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Scotland. In association with Lyric Hammersmith.

Not recommended for under 14s.