![02_John Cairney as Captain Absolute in 'The Rivals', Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith 1963.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366994845434-JDIRFQGUKL7LK1F15LC1/02_John+Cairney+as+Captain+Absolute+in+%27The+Rivals%27%2C+Lyric+Theatre%2C+Hammersmith+1963.jpg)
![03_John Cairney as McGlass in 'Armstrong's Last Goodnight' Glasgow Citizens Theatre 1964.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995609781-XOTCHIVM24OHAQMA8SXP/03_John+Cairney+as+McGlass+in+%27Armstrong%27s+Last+Goodnight%27+Glasgow+Citizens+Theatre+1964.jpg)
![04_John Cairney as Jamie Soutar in 'Battle Royal' Glasgow Citizen's Theatre 1964.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995610808-O8WIV17NLZAAZHILYX25/04_John+Cairney+as+Jamie+Soutar+in+%27Battle+Royal%27+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre+1964.jpg)
![05_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot' Connaught Theatre, Worthing 1969.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995610688-LWII28ZMEPZZTOFYEOH5/05_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing+1969.jpg)
![06_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 1969 (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995611144-77ESXVDKYI2FNNK3R3C9/06_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing%2C+1969+%282%29.jpg)
![09_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing 1969 (4).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995722588-XZMH89SPL3DTFDHKXVAA/09_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing+1969+%284%29.jpg)
![10_John Cairney as Charlie McGrath in 'Willie Rough' Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 1972.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995730411-V0U65SDPFOVNF6QXOR3C/10_John+Cairney+as+Charlie+McGrath+in+%27Willie+Rough%27+Lyceum+Theatre%2C+Edinburgh+1972.jpg)
![12_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizens Theatre 1960 (3).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995903313-SWUHKFDW0V9EG8Z8J4LT/12_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizens+Theatre+1960+%283%29.jpg)
![14_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizen's Theatre, 1960.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366995995800-39CP1MBNRBL0HT7W22YF/14_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre%2C+1960.jpg)
![17_John Cairney as King Humanitie in 'The Thrie Estaites', Edinburgh Festival 1959.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996154042-IEF5535K3JC5TGUTY3CT/17_John+Cairney+as++King+Humanitie+in+%27The+Thrie+Estaites%27%2C+Edinburgh+Festival+1959.jpg)
![19_John Cairney as Cyrano in 'Cyrano de Bergerac', University Theatre, Newcastle 1974.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996285207-TXH4Y17GE2RZ6QYV32D7/19_John+Cairney+as+Cyrano+in+%27Cyrano+de+Bergerac%27%2C+University+Theatre%2C+Newcastle+1974.jpg)
![20_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizens Theatre 1960.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996301878-36FUL9MT3N18461EKI0L/20_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizens+Theatre+1960.jpg)
![21_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizen's Theatre 1960.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996336924-RUN9OB38JC0YSRY9GMO3/21_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre+1960.jpg)
![22_John Cairney as James Boswell in 'Young Auchinleck' Edinburgh Festival 1962.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996356164-2GLPI3W2A05QTOX19NZQ/22_John+Cairney+as+James+Boswell+in+%27Young+Auchinleck%27+Edinburgh+Festival+1962.jpg)
![23_John Cairney as Jamie Soutar in 'Battle Royal' Glasgow Citizens Theatre 1964.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996360681-M7HHA57CQGAQ8BLI2OZ3/23_John+Cairney+as+Jamie+Soutar+in+%27Battle+Royal%27+Glasgow+Citizens+Theatre+1964.jpg)
![24_John Cairney as Jamie Soutar in 'Battle Royal' Glasgow Citizen's Theatre 1964 (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996368751-J74AIOYJ6FRFNVW4E3BW/24_John+Cairney+as+Jamie+Soutar+in+%27Battle+Royal%27+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre+1964+%282%29.jpg)
![25_John Cairney as Kurt Landeck in 'The Mulberry Bush' Bristol Old Vic 1955.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996385467-H7SVCHCUM4JKYANI83L7/25_John+Cairney+as+Kurt+Landeck+in+%27The+Mulberry+Bush%27+Bristol+Old+Vic+1955.jpg)
![26_John Cairney as McGlass in 'Armstrong's Last Goodnight' Glasgow Citizen's Theatre 1964.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996414789-C54XQB1ZBK0ISZCXVHB8/26_John+Cairney+as+McGlass+in+%27Armstrong%27s+Last+Goodnight%27+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre+1964.jpg)
![27_John Cairney as Rashleigh Osbaldistone in 'Rob Roy', Edinburgh Festival 1962.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996430168-BQ9VCGUSYGJZIWJ4INQY/27_John+Cairney+as+Rashleigh+Osbaldistone+in+%27Rob+Roy%27%2C+Edinburgh+Festival+1962.jpg)
![28_John Cairney as Snake in 'The School for Scandal' Wilson Barret Company 1953.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996436884-ME0PS92PAM4MDLFODB08/28_John+Cairney+as+Snake+in+%27The+School+for+Scandal%27+Wilson+Barret+Company+1953.jpg)
![30_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing 1969.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996514738-MRQFE0K8UF6S59B4VDEU/30_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing+1969.jpg)
![32_John Cairney with Bristol Old Vic Company 1954.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996523087-ZAGR75D8U75IRH8WT9HQ/32_John+Cairney+with+Bristol+Old+Vic+Company+1954.jpg)
![07_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing 1969 (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996906129-02JWIZV4OYUJH1X8MU99/07_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing+1969+%282%29.jpg)
![08_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot, Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 1969.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996906600-RO478XGR27Q9IW43XEZK/08_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing%2C+1969.jpg)
![11_John Cairney as Hamlet' in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizen's Theatre, 1960.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996907555-3U7CI6UV82NN6GWEQ0WW/11_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet%27+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre%2C+1960.jpg)
![13_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizens Theatre, 1960.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996907670-IGT63PY9UV9BS9IB3UCV/13_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizens+Theatre%2C+1960.jpg)
![15_John Cairney as Hamlet in 'Hamlet', Glasgow Citizen's Theatre 1960 (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996907616-IGQVRME1X25Q21CYUR5K/15_John+Cairney+as+Hamlet+in+%27Hamlet%27%2C+Glasgow+Citizen%27s+Theatre+1960+%282%29.jpg)
![16_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On the Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 1969.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366996907642-CYDX5ISRWNOE7SZLPGAZ/16_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+the+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing%2C+1969.jpg)
![18_John Cairney as Archie Rice in 'The Entertainer', Dundee Repetory Theatre 1972.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366997172312-MBRSAYOM6A6R441FJ6AJ/18_John+Cairney+as+Archie+Rice+in+%27The+Entertainer%27%2C+Dundee+Repetory+Theatre+1972.jpg)
![29_John Cairney as Toni Perelli in 'On The Spot', Connaught Theatre, Worthing 1969 (3).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366997233156-0JACUY6RE0MSXOSLDKE5/29_John+Cairney+as+Toni+Perelli+in+%27On+The+Spot%27%2C+Connaught+Theatre%2C+Worthing+1969+%283%29.jpg)
![31_John Cairney in rehearsal with Director, Bill Bryden in 'The Burning' Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 1976.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366997415284-MNSZW6BG8719AOMCFLN0/31_John+Cairney+in+rehearsal+with+Director%2C+Bill+Bryden+in+%27The+Burning%27+Lyceum+Theatre%2C+Edinburgh+1976.jpg)
![01_John Cairney as James Boswell in 'Young Auchinleck' - caricature by Emilio Coia 1962.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/511b0e96e4b0735b66291165/1366994822347-7AVU2OXQUXSZSIO2RNDQ/01_John+Cairney+as+James+Boswell+in+%27Young+Auchinleck%27+-+caricature+by+Emilio+Coia+1962.jpg)
John Cairney in Classical Theatre
John studied as a classical actor at the RSAMD from 1950-1953 and from that time on has played various parts in classical theatre. Highlights were Hamlet at the Glasgow Citizens Theatre, Cyrano de Bergerac for the University Theatre, Newcastle and Archie Rice in 'The Entertainer' at Dundee Repertory. During these years he also worked in television and film. From playing classical parts in the theatre, he moved on to create a repertoire of solo shows, which he tours throughout the world.