Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson have reunited on stage for the first time at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in The History of Paper, drawing on a friendship that began more than 40 years ago. Their shared past helps them portray a couple reflecting on their lives, while the production also marks an early artistic decision by Cumming in his new role as the theatre’s artistic director.

The musical began as a 2017 radio play by Oliver Emanuel, with music by Gareth Williams, before becoming an acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe production in 2024; Emanuel’s death in 2023 has added emotional weight to the work. Cumming, 61, and Henderson, 60, were cast to play both younger and older versions of the couple, replacing the original concept of younger performers imagining later life.