Make It Happen – Festival Theatre

It was a privilege to be in the packed audience at the Festival Theatre for this stunning production of James Graham’s exquisite new play. The 2025 Edinburgh International Festival could not have got off to a better start.

This is a co-production by the EIF, the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre, brilliantly directed by Andrew Panton.

‘Make It Happen’ was the mantra of the infamous CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Fred Goodwin, who expanded the 300 year old Edinburgh institution at a colossal pace to make it the world’s biggest bank. But in 2008, as global markets tumbled, the RBS faced collapse.

Coincidentally both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor in 2008 were Scottish. And the play also reminds us that it was a Scotsman who in effect sparked the growth of modern capitalism.

This ‘fictionalised satire’, as the producers describe it, is ‘inspired’ by the events of 2008, and mixes real characters and events with ‘others entirely imagined’.

The story is told clearly and beautifully, thanks to Graham’s enthralling script and an exhilarating, imaginative production which grabs attention right from the start. The two hours, 40 minutes show (including an interval) is riveting from start to finish. It is a wonderful team effort with the highest production values. And, although the subject matter is serious, this is a pacy, exuberant, joyful and very funny show.

Sandy Grierson is totally convincing as Goodwin. The latter was nicknamed ‘Fred, the Shred’ because of his ruthless cost-cutting. In this production we see Goodwin fire workers almost impulsively.

But Grierson’s Goodwin is no pantomime villain. This is a nuanced, non-judgmental portrayal. And his deadpan delivery of some very funny lines is delightful. An outstanding performance by a wonderful actor. 

Brian Cox plays the ghost of Adam Smith, the eighteenth century Scottish philosopher and economist, whose seminal work, ‘The Wealth of Nations’, had pride of place in Fred Goodwin’s office.

Cox lives up to all the hype that surrounds him and proves that he is one of our greatest actors, a true legend. It’s a barnstorming return to the Scottish stage after an absence of ten years. His comic timing is immaculate, and he has the audience in the palm of his hand as he elicits gale after gale of laughter. On one of his ghostly appearances Goodwin is talking to Gordon Brown (who is unaware of Smith). When he finds out that Brown is from the same town as himself, Smith says incredulously, “A Prime Minister from Kirkcaldy. Piss off”.  Another comic highlight is when Smith and Goodwin sing karaoke songs together. And on one of his appearances Smith has been shopping at John Lewis and extolls the virtues of their hand cream. He also reveals that he has visited another Prime Minister – Thatcher.

But Cox is also superb in his more serious interactions with Goodwin. The latter hero worships Smith as the father of the free market, of modern capitalism. But it transpires that Goodwin has read the ‘Wealth of Nations’ selectively and hasn’t even looked at Smith’s first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments’.

Smith doesn’t even know what an ‘economist’ is. He was one of the great figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, a friend of the philosopher, David Hume. (In one scene Goodwin shows Smith his and Hume’s statues in Edinburgh.)

Smith explains that he is a moral philosopher. He believes in free trade and opposes tariffs. But he also believes in behaving ethically and wants free markets to benefit everyone.

Adam Smith wrote “No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.” But in ‘Make It Happen’ we see Fred Goodwin reject a personal appeal from Gordon Brown to donate the funds from ‘orphaned’ (dormant) funds to charity. RBS was the only bank to refuse to do so.

There are 14 other actors, and they are all superb. They play several roles each, a total of about 50. Sandy Batchelor’s characters include Chancellor Alistair Darling; Andy Clark plays Gordon Brown, Prime Minister; Maya Bassi Curtis is a Corporate Manager; Callum Cuthbertson plays George Mathewson, former CEO and then Chairman of RBS; Charlotte Delima is Government Minister Shriti Vadera; Hannah Donaldson plays Rita who works at RBS – she and Goodwin have an affair; Kirsty Findlay is tv journalist Laura Kuenssberg; Lorraine Graham plays Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor; Graham Mackay-Bruce is an RBS Board Member; David Mara plays the CEO of the rival Bank of Scotland; Anne Louise Ross is Mary Mackenzie, a concerned shareholder who questions Goodwin at AGMs; Lawrence Smith plays Elliot, an employee sacked by Goodwin for failing to get a protected 300 year-old tree removed – he tells Goodwin he’s ‘a fucking bully’;  Declan Spaine is Joey Campbell, part of the RBS management team;  and Gavin Jon Wright plays Hank Paulson, US Treasury Secretary.

In addition, the actors in the ensemble sometimes act as a chorus, witnessing and reacting to events; and singing pop songs from 2008 with panache. All the actors play their roles with gusto, skill, commitment and exuberance.

Plaudits, too, to Niall Casserly, Musical Director. And also, to Emily Jane Boyle for directing the excellent movement. Martin Lowe has composed stirring and evocative music. Tingying Dong has designed some atmospheric sound effects.

Anna Fleischle has designed an interesting and effective set and, along with Angelica Rush, designed the quirky costumes. Lizzie Powell’s lighting is immaculate, always striking the right note.

A feature of the production is the way videos and photos are displayed showing graphics, old newsreels and even the tectonic plates of Edinburgh. In one scene Goodwin appears to be struggling with the volcanic might of Edinburgh itself. Congratulations to Video co-designers, Anna Fleischle and Lewis den Hertog, and also to Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, who were responsible for the exciting Illusions.

In a programme note, the playwright asks: “Are we still in the long shadow of 2008?” In Britain the period since then has been characterised by austerity and a subsequent decline in public services. Lack of trust in politicians and frustration with lack of progress arguably played a major role in Brexit and the growth in support for populist politicians.

‘Make It Happen’ does not preach but it prompts fascinating questions. It’s easy to condemn Fred Goodwin but what about the role of British Governments? Thatcher’s ‘Big Bang’ liberalised banking; Blair and Brown believed in ‘light touch’ regulation which helped pave the way for the collapse of RBS and other banks.

And what about the role of ordinary citizens who were happy to borrow more money than they could afford so they could buy houses, cars and anything else they desired?

Audiences will leave the theatre thoroughly entertained, but also hopefully stimulated to find out more about not only the 2008 crash and its implications, but also Adam Smith.

I loved this show. I cannot recommend it enough.

Make It Happen runs until 9th August at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. Tickets available at https://www.eif.co.uk/whats-on  

Reviewer: Tom Scott

Reviewed: 1st August 2025

North West End UK Rating: