When Alan Cumming moved to New York City in the late ’90s to star as Emcee in the Broadway revival of Cabaret, he found a new home, more than 3,200 miles away from his native Scotland.
From those early days performing in Cabaret, during which he ultimately starred in more than 800 performances of the show, Cumming became a beloved fixture of the city’s nightlife. And he hasn’t let up since. Nearly 30 years later, Cumming still lives in New York when he’s not away filming; he continues to bring his energy to the city’s evening entertainment as the owner of Club Cumming in the East Village, a frequently packed nightclub that hosts everything from cabaret performances and tea dances to burlesque and drink-and-draw nights.
Even with all his love for New York, Cumming is one of Scotland’s most famous actors and embraces his Scottish heritage with pride. Cumming has spotlighted the beauty of Scotland across many of his projects, including in the BBC Select show Scotland’s Poshest Train with Alan Cumming and Channel 4’s Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland. Most recently, he brought the Scottish Highlands to the global stage as host and producer of the deliriously fun Peacock reality show Traitors U.S., which just wrapped on its third season; for that, he led an eclectic group of reality stars through a treacherous game set in a remote Scottish castle.
In another nod to his heritage, Cumming will serve as the Grand Marshall of the 27th-annual Tartan Day Parade in New York City on April 5. It’s an honor that highlights Cumming’s impact on the entertainment industry and celebrates his love for both communities.
On March 27, the actor is bringing his passion for travel to new heights with a collaboration with Virgin Atlantic. Cumming is now the voice behind the airline’s first-ever original bedtime story, called “ReLAX and Unwind with Alan Cumming,” which will soothe travelers to relaxation before takeoff in places like the lounge’s Royal Box and in-flight, by accessing the video on Virgin Atlantic’s YouTube channel.
The new bedtime story coincides with the March 27th opening of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a new lounge space that caters to the California city’s health and wellness focus, featuring elements that encourage guests to unwind before their flights to the United Kingdom and beyond.
I spoke with Cumming about his under-the-radar recommendations in both Scotland and New York, his travel habits, and his latest collaboration with Virgin Atlantic.
This interview was edited for clarity and space.
We are big fans of Traitors U.S. here at Afar. What was it like to film in the Scottish Highlands?
Well, it’s lovely. It’s actually quite near where I live in Scotland. It’s an area that I really love. I’ve got a lot of family [in the area]. So over the years of doing Traitors, I have these sort of yearly reunions with a lot of family and extended family that I haven’t seen that much.
It’s also nice because [filming Traitors is] sort of like we’re in this bubble. . . . When I fly, I think of it as this method of me getting away from everybody and nobody can get to me and it’s just this precious little time I have. . . . And the Traitors is kind of similar because it’s such long hours and you basically can’t do anything else. So it’s like you’re in this little work bubble. So the contestants definitely become sort of obsessed and maddened by just being in the show and in the game, and I do too. . . . I can’t go to sleep until I know who’s been murdered that night.
What are the best places to visit in the Scottish Highlands?
Scotland’s so beautiful. It’s lovely to go to some of these locations and be taken into places that you wouldn’t normally get to go to. I really love the islands on the west coast, the Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides. They’re magical. . . . There’s a thing you can do called the North Coast 500, which is 500 miles around the rim [of northern Scotland]. It’s an area of Scotland that people don’t go to as much.
But the great thing about Scotland is, even though it’s such a tiny country, because of the mountains, because of the hills, and because of the little roads—there’s a lot of one-track roads—it takes you a long time to get anywhere. Because of that, even though I’ve done loads of travel shows and shot and gone on vacations and I live there part of the time, there’s still bits of it that I am surprised by.
I would also recommend using the train. I love the Royal Scotsman. If you can get on it, it’s swanky. But it’s absolutely the most magical way to see Scotland.
What’s your preflight and inflight routine?
So, here’s my routine. I go to the lounge. I check in quite early. I’m not one of those people to leave it to the last minute. If I’m going on a big trip, I really want to remind myself that I’m going on a big travel adventure. And so I kind of want to prepare for it. I like everything sorted and being in the lounge and having some time to relax and kind of just catch up with things so I can put everything to bed, literally.
And I always have a Bloody Mary in the lounge, every time I fly. It’s very important. It’s a sort of ritual. And I love that.
And then I get on the plane, and I like to get my book, my iPad, maybe the computer. But I actually love making plans to do stuff on a plane, and I end up never doing it. I sort of maybe do it until the drinks and the meal comes around. I drink lots of water, but I love some wine. And then I feel a bit woozy and then watch a film and then conk out and just have a nice sleep.
I really do enjoy flying on long flights. I’d much rather it be a long flight than a short flight. Just because I love that time to yourself and obviously if you’re going swanky class and you can lie down. . . . I love a little pod.
Where do you go out in New York?
I usually go to Club Cumming. I mean, it’s the greatest thing. Like we had viewing parties of the Traitors there when the last season was on. We had the afterparty for my big 60th birthday party there. It’s just sort of my little playground.
I turned 60 and I just realized I want to dance more. I had a big dance party at the Edison Ballroom with Animatronic who DJ’d for us. There’s a really great thing called MotherDisco, [a traveling disco music residency with performances at nightclubs across New York], that does [a night out] about once a month or so. . . . I love that. It’s in Brooklyn. And then I love things like Horse Meat Disco [a four-person DJ collective that plays electronic music]. They come every few months. And they go all over the world actually. I once went to them in Berlin too.
So I like big special nights. But I do want to try going to more. . . . I mean, this year and next year actually, I’m not going to be in New York that much. I’m working so much in Scotland because I run a theater now [there], the Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
When I do come [to New York City], I want to just be with my chums, and it’s so easy and so lovely to go to Club Cumming. . . . A funny thing to say, that my own club is kind of clipping my nightlife wings, but it’s not too bad a problem to have.
After a night out, where are your favorite places to wind down and relax in New York?
One place that I’ve not been to for ages, but I do love, is the Russian Baths on 10th Street. They have plunge pools and steam rooms and they hit you with these sticks and eucalyptus things if you want.
There’s a place called Post, a little restaurant. . . . One of the things I miss being vegan is biscuits and gravy. . . . And so they do a vegan biscuits and gravy, which is such a good, stodgy, hangover or tired, just comfort food in the mornings. And they have the most delicious hot sauce there. And it comes in a bottle that says, “Hot Merde.”
Another place I love is Tompkins Square Bagels. . . . I always have the sun-dried tomato tofu spread with an everything gluten-free bagel, with lettuce, tomato, onions, and capers.
“So the minute you walk in, even the lighting, the way the lighting changes, it’s like an immersive piece of theater,” Alan Cumming tells Afar.
Courtesy of Perry Graham/Virgin Atlantic
You’ve just launched this new partnership with Virgin Atlantic. How did you become the voice behind these bedtime stories?
I have been a longtime passenger and fan [of Virgin Atlantic]. The very first time I ever came to America, I came on Virgin Upper Class. It was also the first time I’d ever turned left on an airplane. It was when I first started working in Hollywood. So my time in America is completely associated with Virgin Atlantic. The first book I wrote was a novel, [Tommy’s Tale (Harper Collins, 2002)] and I set a chapter in the Virgin Clubhouse in Heathrow. So I am a big fan. This whole [new Virgin Atlantic] clubhouse [at LAX] is only for people on overnight flights. So the minute you walk in, even the lighting, the way the lighting changes, it’s like an immersive piece of theater. It’s a bit like—did you ever see Sleep No More? There’s not people singing or spurting blood, but this idea that as soon as you come in the door, there’s an intention for you to get into a situation where you feel like you want to have a nice snooze. I love that.
I love the cocktails and the mocktails. You can do Pilates, you can do dancing, you can do yoga, you can do meditation. There’s a sound bath thing. It’s so good. It’s called the Zen Den.
What are your packing tips for long-haul flights?
Roll! Roll! Roll! I haven’t got to the packing cubes yet. I find that it slightly reminds me of a freezer section of a supermarket with all bits of old cow in little bags. I roll, roll, roll it up, and then squish it in [to the suitcase]. I think it’s a really efficient way. My mother-in-law, she’s not with us anymore, but she used to be a flight attendant in the ’50s. She was a roller. So she’s the one who really drummed it into me. So I honor her by rolling everything up.
And also just sitting on it. You know, you gotta sit on it. [Laughs] Your case, honey.
To help you fall asleep on a plane, who from any of the Traitors cast would you have read you a bedtime story?
I think it would be Gabby [Windey] from this last season because I love her voice and it sort of feels sweet and childlike but sometimes she’s saying the most biting dirty things, so I quite like that combo, and I always loved her delivery. I find her quite soothing and funny as well. I think it’s quite nice to laugh as you go to sleep. It puts you in a good mood and hopefully you’ll have nice dreams.
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX is currently open daily from 11:30 a.m. PST. For more details on the Clubhouse and hours of operation, visit VirginAtlantic.com.
