An Edinburgh star of the renowned choreographer Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company has been recognised in the 2025 MustSeeTheatre.com Awards.
The 24-year-old dancer and actor, Rory Macleod, has been named as the winner of the 2025 MustSeeTheatre.com Edinburgh Actor of the Year Award in recognition of his “blistering interpretation” of The Swan/The Stranger in New Adventures’ production of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake last year.
The Award acknowledges MustSeeTheatre.com’s Edinburgh roots, by recognising exceptional young talent born and raised in Scotland’s Capital. Macleod, who graduated from dancing the role of The Pink Gobstopper in Bourne’s Nutcracker in 2021 to the lead in Swan Lake just five years later (via the role of Romeo in Romeo & Juliet in 2024), fitted that bill perfectly.
On receiving news of the accolade, Macleod, from Bruntsfield, said: “Wow! Absolutely thrilled to be awarded as MustSeeTheatre.com’s Edinburgh Actor of the Year Award. Playing The Swan in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was such a huge milestone in my career and has been one of the most challenging/rewarding things I’ve ever done. Without sounding cliche, it was something I had dreamed of doing for years so I feel so lucky to have been able to perform it.
“Although Swan Lake is seen as a dance show, all of Matthew Bourne’s shows are hugely driven by storytelling and acting. This is one of my favourite parts about working for Matthew and I’m glad that acting is being recognised in this medium. Huge thank you to everyone involved in getting me to where I am today and to MustSeeTheatre.com.”
Award-winning theatre director and writer Liam Rudden, founder of MustSeeTheatre.com and The Edinburgh Reporter’s Theatre Critic, said: “It has been a delight to watch Rory’s ongoing journey with New Adventures dance company.
“From his first appearance as the Pink Gobstopper just a few years ago, audiences have watched him grow in confidence, talent and stature. This Award is particularly well deserved in light of the visceral energy and truth he brought to his dual role in a quite memorising Swan Lake.”
Macleod will shortly continue his journey in Matthew Bourne’s new production of The Car Man.
From sublime theatrical experiences, to iconic performances, up and coming stars to legends of the theatre world, the MustSeeTheatre.com Awards shine a spotlight on productions and performers deserving of special recognition in the year past, while highlighting of MustSeeTheatre.com’s ethos of celebrating the best theatre in “Edinburgh, London and Beyond”.
Macleod is in good company, other 2025 MustSeeTheatre.com Award winners include Slow Horses star Gary Oldman, the West End production of Oliver!, national treasure Su Pollard, Agatha Christie’s Witness For The Prosecution, and Judge John Deed star Martin Shaw.
For the full list of winners visit Must See Theatre here.
