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Alan Cumming brought his brand-new solo cabaret show “UNCUT,” with Henry Koperski at the piano, to the Stissing Center for Arts & Culture in Pine Plains, NY, this past Saturday. 

Actor and author, Alan began his career in his native Scotland, but gained prominence for his role as The Master of Ceremonies in the 1993 revival of Cabaret in London’s West End. He later reprised the role in 1998 for the Broadway revival in New York City. 

“I did the math and I’ve spent two and a half years performing in Cabaret and nearly just as much time talking about it,” Alan joked during his show. 

He is also perhaps known for some of his most popular roles – Mr. Floop in Spy Kids, Eli in The Good Wife, Nightcrawler in X2: X Men United, Sebastian in The High Life, and King James in Doctor Who. He is also the author of six books, including the New York Times #1 bestselling memoir, Not My Father’s Son. Alan is a Tony and Olivier award winner, and has been nominated for Emmys, Grammys, BAFTAs, and a bunch of other awards throughout his career. 

Alan Cumming, raw and uncut 

“UNCUT” shows Alan as revealing, hilarious, and raunchy as ever. The show runs just over one hour long and touches on his life growing up in rural Scotland, the abuse he suffered at the hand of his father, and how that shaped his relationships and his outlook on life later on. 

With brief interludes of popular songs, as well as original pieces, Alan paints a portrait of a man who has lived his life with joy, despite the many instances that have tried to shove him back into the darkness. 

In addition to all of the important subjects his show touches on, including sex, relationships, and LGBTQ+ visibility, Alan is also incredibly funny. He manages to make light of subjects that are typically hard to discuss. The addition of Henry Koperski makes for a wonderful show. His music is just lovely and adds an extra layer of value to the whole show. It’s also just plain funny to watch Alan and Henry interact on stage. 

The title of the show – uncut – has dual meaning. On one hand, it implies that we are seeing Alan at his most raw and unfiltered. On the other hand, as Alan was apt to point out at the start of the show, the term “uncut” can also refer to a male who is uncircumcised. While this didn’t seem to be a particularly big part of the show at the start, it ended up serving an important role towards the end. 

With only about 15 minutes of the show left, Alan circled back to the issue of circumcision and asked the lighting crew to turn the lights up so that he could see the audience. He then proceeded to ask how many men in the room were uncircumcised. When only about three men raised their hands, he lamented that it was about what he expected. 

He then went on to share that he is on the board of advocates of Intact America, an organization whose mission is to protect babies and children from circumcision and other forms of medically unnecessary genital alteration. Additionally, he is also a patron of 15 Square, an international charity based in the UK that aims to advance the education of the public in all matters relating to circumcision and other forms of surgical alteration to the genitals.

Reimagining The Stissing Center 

The event was hosted as a fundraiser for the Stissing Center for Arts & Culture, with the funds going towards their ambitious $10.4-million construction and renovation initiative. 

The Stissing Center’s capital project includes plans for a rear addition and side porch, a third floor that will house offices, an art gallery, and a nonprofit open workspace, a new box office, and the Garon Family Stage. 

Prior to Alan taking the stage, a cocktail hour with a silent auction took place under a tent just outside of the Stissing Center. Some of the items up for auction included a two-night stay at Troutbeck in Amenia, NY, a reserve wine tasting for four at the Millbrook Winery in Millbrook, NY, and two tickets to Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of English in New York City, among many others. 

“This is about much more than transforming a building. It’s about creating a space that fosters engagement, discovery, and self-expression for generations to come. And we can only achieve this with your help,” said Brett Bernardini, executive director.  “Together, we will ensure that the Stissing Center not only thrives, but becomes a beacon for Pine Plains, the greater Hudson Valley, and rural America.” 

To learn more about the Stissing Center for Arts & Culture, visit their website www.thestissingcenter.org. To purchase tickets to one of Alan’s upcoming dates for “UNCUT,” visit his website www.alancumming.com/events.