Forbes Masson

Forbes (Robertson) Masson (born 17 August 1963 in Falkirk) is a Scottish actor and writer. He is an Associate Artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is best known for his roles in classical theatre, musicals, comedies, and appearances in London's West End. He is also known for his comedy partnership with Alan Cumming. Masson and Cumming wrote The High Life, a Scottish situation comedy in which they play the lead characters, Steve McCracken and Sebastian Flight. Characters McCracken and Flight were heavily based on Victor and Barry, famous Scottish comedy alter-egos of Masson and Cumming. Masson also stars in the 2021 film The Road Dance, set on the Isle of Lewis as the Reverend MacIver.

Masson completed a three-year drama course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has a BA in Dramatic Studies. Masson met Cumming during this time, and the pair performed some cabaret work together in order to earn Equity cards. He lives in North London with his wife, Melanie Masson, who was a finalist on The X Factor in 2012. They have two children.

Masson's first television appearances were in the late 1980s, including an episode of Taggart. He played Stan Laurel in the episode "Meltdown" of the sitcom Red Dwarf, Eck in the 1992 comedy series My Dead Dad, Rodney Morris in EastEnders (2000), Tam Flood in Hamish Macbeth (1996) as well as various roles in Is It Bill Bailey? (1998), working alongside Simon Pegg. He also played rock-band manager Art Stilton in Channel 4's cult comedy The Young Person's Guide To Becoming a Rock Star (1998), Cronie McKay in No Holds Bard (2009), Governor Grantham in Dead Boss by Sharon Horgan and Holly Walsh (series 1, episode 5, 2012), Patrick in Catastrophe (series 2) by Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney Channel 4 2015, and as Reverend Willard in BBC One's Father Brown (series 7). In 2023, he appeared in season 6 of The Crown.

Other theatre includes:

The Breathing House (Gilbert) by Peter Arnott; Art (Yvan) by Yasmina Reza, directed by Kenny Ireland; Stiff! (George Mathieson), directed by Caroline Hall; Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick), his first professional Shakespearean role; at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (1997).

Endgame by Samuel Beckett (Clov), The Trick is to Keep Breathing by Janice Galloway(Dr Green), Dumbstruck by David Kane (Herman Katz), The Real Wurld by Michel Tremblay (Claude), all directed by Michael Boyd Cinzano by Lyudmila Petrushevskaya (Pasha) (directed by Roman Kozak): Tron Theatre Glasgow.

Laurel and Hardy (Stan Laurel): Assembly Edinburgh/Wellington Festival NZ.

The Life of Stuff (Fraser) by Simon Donald: Donmar Warehouse, London.