Alan Cumming on his Worst Onstage Fiasco in Cabaret

Tony Award Winner Alan Cumming talks why he had 393.5 Cabaret performances under his belt in this Chatterbox preview filmed on March 7th, 2013 at Don't Tell Mama's.

In the full interview, Alan talks about his early theatre starts, living on a country estate in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland, aspiring to be a vet, and one day nearly being shanked to death by a deer. The conversation moves into Alan's first stage work, in My Fair Lady, and how he ended up as the unofficial Colonel Pickering understudy.

Next Alan talks about early TV soap dramas, as a victim who gets burned alive, and his training at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He discusses work as Victor and Barry, and why he ended the duo in their height of popularity.

Seth has Alan go through his experience with Lisa Kudrow in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, Goldeneye, meeting and working with Liza Minnelli, and getting nominated for a Tony, without really knowing what they are.

Watch the full Chatterbox, along with other a-mah-zing videos on SethTV.com

[bunniet.]

I like the way he said, "The doctor might be Jewish"

[stacybate]

OH. MY. GOSH.  I simply LOVE Alan Cumming.  Saw him twice in the 2014-2015 revival of Cabaret, and I could have watched him every day.  He's the most adorable man and so sweet.  I love how he uses his eyes in his acting.  Real talent.  I'm such a fan girl!  Alan I LOVE YOU to pieces <3  <3  <3

[Hot_Crosint]

I love how he was so concerned about trying not to offend the maybe Jewish doctor.

[gaynora]

Gotta luv Alan. Such a sweetheart and seriously talented.

[tillyboos]

Hee, part of the story about trying to get the Swastika off his butt because the Doctor might be Jewish....was HILARIOUS! Well, it IS

[Womanwithblackdog]

Sleeping isn't harmful to a person with head trauma. The problem comes when someone is allowed to sleep for a prolonged time while the head injury gets worse all unseen. That is why you must wake a head injured person. It's about checking for signs of intercrainial bleeding.

[SophieBaker]

I can't help but imagine that as he was telling it. I can't help but laugh poor Alan

[barbarjinks]

People brand him as being odd for doing cabaret but he seems so genuinely normal.

[christianbrown]

The gasps had me rolling on the floor.

[samtaylor]

Oh this is one of the greatest things ever

[AriMazurMathieu]

Hahaha!! Allan Cumming is the best! Hilarious story! :))

[BallymurphyBabe]

I want to hear the rest about the woman and the hot day.

[invaderspencer]

this is one of my favorite stories he tells lmfaoo the way he tells it is so entertaining

[arkdtk]

I remember the continuation of this story, he was talking about seeing an audience member from the show at the hospital. Does anyone have the link?

[devanmoran]

i love his performance of money he is just amazing

[polizibahh.]

shot in the dark but does anyone have a current link to where I can watch / purchase the full version of this interview? trying to track it down on the remnants of nonexistent websites is killing me slowly

[Usedwtm]

Lmao and I thought our set falling apart in Into The Woods was bad 😂 I've also broken a few bones during shows though. The most notable was when I was like 9 in children's theater we were doing Pirates of Penzance and during Cat-Like Tread me and the rest of the police were meant to jump off the stage and during final dress something went horribly wrong. I jumped, landed fine, then the Captain (who was much bigger than me) jumped right after me and his foot landed on my left forearm. My x-ray had an indentation of his boot. I showed up to our opening matinee in a cast and the poor guy felt so bad he actually cried.

He went on to star as Charles in Stephen Spielberg and JJ Abrams' movie Super 8, so I kinda got the best movie autograph ever 😂

[Logitah]

OH GOD POOR THING!!!! Well.. at least it made a good story later! :D