Brian Cox for Lyceum
Legendary actor does An Evening With…
Brian Cox is to take to the Lyceum stage for a one-off An Evening With… event on Sunday 8 November, for “an evening of conversation and stories, looking back on his remarkable life and career so far”.
Besides spending an evening in the company of one of Scotland’s most celebrated actors, audience members will have the opportunity to submit their own questions for Brian to answer. A limited number of VIP seats are available, which include an invitation to a pre-show reception. Starting at 6pm, the reception will include a welcome drink and a meet and greet.
Brian Cox. Pic: David Ho.
All proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the theatre. Tickets for the event start at £20 plus booking fee and go on general sale (here) from Friday 18 September at 1.30pm. Lyceum members can get their briefs the day before at 1.30pm (details of membership here) and patrons from Monday 14 (details of Patron sponsorship here).
Born in Dundee, Brian Cox most recently appeared at the Lyceum as the ghost of Adam Smith in the EIF’s 2025 production of Make it Happen (★★★★☆ Salutary reminder) and a decade before that as Vladimir in the Lyceum Company’s 50th anniversary production of Waiting for Godot (★★★★☆ Timeless power).
Cox’s links with the theatre go back to that first acting company under Tom Flemming. Cox joined when it formed in 1965 with the likes of Russell Hunter, Una McLean and Tom Conti, and performed in its first production, The Servant o’ Twa Maisters, that October.
Having begun his career behind the scenes at Dundee Rep in 1961 and then gone on to train at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), the Lyceum Company was his first professional appearance.
notable productions
Brian Cox famously returned from some years teaching and directing at the Moscow Arts theatre school to play King Lear at the King’s Theatre Edinburgh in 1991. He also performed at the Festival Theatre in the RSC’s production of Music Man in 1995.
On the Lyceum stage he has performed in notable productions of The Master Builder (1993) and in the Lyceum’s production of John Byrne’s Uncle Varick in 2004.
Bill Paterson and Brian Cox in Waiting for Godot, September 2015. Photo: Alan McCredie
He elected to become an honorary patron of the theatre in 2012 and has always been a staunch supporter, not just of the theatre itself, but of the workers backstage who keep it alive. In 2020 he threw his weight behind a campaign to save the Lyceum’s workforce who appeared to be being made redundant because of Covid-19 restrictions.
At the time, he said: “The ‘Ole lady of Grindlay Street’ has a great place in my heart. As a theatre it was very much my first spiritual home. The space always extended a great warmth and care like a large embracing Ma!
“Those of us who have partaken and played in ‘The Ole Lady’s embrace,’ have always been family!”
Cox had booked an 18-date solo tour in 2025, entitled Brian Cox – It’s All About Me, that was due to stop in at the Edinburgh Playhouse and was sold very much on his movie career, from Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter to media magnate Logan Roy in HBO’s Succession.
However he postponed the tour in August last year, saying that he was “very busy” and “tired” after an intense run of work that included the EIF run of Make it Happen. There have been no indications that he is to reschedule that tour for 2026, as he had hoped. No doubt it is a question he will be asked on November the eighth.
An Evening With… Brian Cox
The Lyceum, Grindlay Street EH3 9AX.
Sun 8 Nov 2026
Evening: 7.30pm.
Tickets and details: General sale here from 1.30pm Fri 18 Sept.
Early sales for:
Artistic Director’s Circle & Spotlight Patrons: Mon 14 Sep, 1.30pm.
Incandescent & Roundel Patrons: Tue 15 Sep, 1.30pm.
Arc & Footlight Patrons: Wed 16 Sep, 1.30pm.
Members: Thu 17 Sep, 1.30pm.
ENDS
