Gayle Rankin is coming home to play one of Scottish literature's most magnetic characters – and Glasgow has not left a seat to spare.

The National Theatre of Scotland's new production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie plays the Citizens Theatre in the Gorbals from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 October. Both the Citizens and the National Theatre of Scotland websites currently list all six Glasgow performances as sold out.

What it is

Muriel Spark's 1961 novel is set at Edinburgh's Marcia Blaine School for Girls. There, teacher Miss Jean Brodie hand-picks her "set" – the "crème de la crème" – and demands utter loyalty in return.

This stage version is by David Harrower. The National Theatre of Scotland says it is a new version commissioned by the company, developed and updated from his play first seen at London's Donmar Warehouse in 2018. WhatsOnStage reports this is the adaptation's first outing in Scotland.

Vicky Featherstone directs. In a statement published by the National Theatre of Scotland, she called it "a spicy new version" which "seeks to honour everything that Spark gave us while creating something which feels urgent, surprising and fresh".

Who is in it

The National Theatre of Scotland describes Rankin as a Tony Award-nominated Scottish performer, known as Sheila the She-Wolf in Netflix's GLOW and Alys Rivers in HBO's House of the Dragon. The company says she recently finished a Broadway run as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, opposite Eddie Redmayne.

It is a return in more ways than one. According to WhatsOnStage, Rankin appeared as one of the schoolgirls in the Royal Lyceum's 2003 production of the same story.

She is joined by Maureen Beattie as headmistress Miss Mackay, Dyfan Dwyfor as art master Teddy Lloyd and Brian Ferguson as singing master Gordon Lowther. Bobby Rainsbury plays Sandy, with Liberty Black, Sophie Fortune, Tallulah Greive and Shreya Khaund Marshall completing the cast.

Need to know

  • Where: Citizens Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street, Glasgow G5 9DS
  • When: Wed 21 Oct, 7.30pm; Thu 22 Oct, 2pm and 7.30pm; Fri 23 Oct, 7.30pm; Sat 24 Oct, 2pm and 7.30pm
  • Access: Friday evening is audio described and captioned, with a touch tour at 6.30pm. The Saturday matinee is BSL interpreted.
  • Running time: the National Theatre of Scotland lists about 2 hours 50 minutes, including a 20-minute interval; the Citizens Theatre's own listing says about 2 hours 20 minutes. Allow for the longer evening.
  • Age guidance: 14+. Contains scenes of a sexual nature and partial nudity.
  • Tickets: listed by the Citizens Theatre at £14.50 to £43.50, plus a £1.50 booking fee per transaction
  • Booking: through the Citizens Theatre at citz.co.uk – currently showing as sold out

Missed out?

It is worth checking with the Citizens Theatre directly in case any tickets are returned.

Otherwise, the tour moves on. At the time of writing, the National Theatre of Scotland's website was still offering tickets for His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen, from Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October. The final stop, Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 4 to 7 November, is listed as sold out.

For those lucky enough to hold a ticket, a treat awaits: a Scottish classic, a starry Scottish lead, and four days only in the Gorbals.