Steven McNicoll is a Scottish actor, director, playwright and television presenter.
He co-wrote and starred in seven series of the BBC sketch show Velvet Soup on radio and later television, which earned him a BAFTA nomination.
He is also known to viewers for playing the young Rab C. Nesbitt in the series of the same name which stars Gregor Fisher. He also appears regularly as Bra's Jeff in Donald McLeary and Sanjeev Kohli's Sony Award winning BBC Radio 4 sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags.
McNicoll has also presented 4 series of the educational programme Around Scotland for the BBC.
McNicoll has co written several plays for stage and radio. In 2001, his play for BBC Radio 4, There Are Such Things, about the life and career of horror movie legend, Bela Lugosi, won the Hamilton Deane Award for best dramatic presentation from the Dracula Society. Prior to that, in 1997, as writer and actor, McNicoll was a recipient of The Herald Angel Award for his stage play Empty Jesters.
In 2003, he received the Leon Sinden Award for best supporting actor in Tony Roper's classic comedy/drama The Steamie. In 2005, he received plaudits for his portrayal of Oliver Hardy opposite Barnaby Power in the Tom McGrath play Laurel and Hardy, which was first performed at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and later transferred to the Olympia Theatre Dublin. The same year he was nominated for best supporting actor at the Theatrical Management Association awards for his portrayal of Cliff, opposite David Tennant as Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger which premiered at the Royal Lyceum Theatre and then transferred to the Theatre Royal, Bath.
In 2005, Scottish cultural magazine The List nominated him at number 69 in their Hot 100 List which celebrated those who had made the biggest cultural impact in Scotland that year. In 2007, he starred as Sammy Fox in the critically acclaimed BBC TV comedy series Legit, which was nominated for a Rose d'Or.
On stage, McNicoll has appeared in a huge variety of roles.
In 2009, McNicoll starred along with Gordon Kennedy Colin McCredie and Sara Crowe in Tim Firth's comedy musical The Corstorphine Road Nativity at The Festival Theatre.
In November 2010, McNicoll's play The House was premiered at Òran Mór in Glasgow.
In 2011, he played Toby Belch in Twelfth Night and in 2012, David O. Selznick in Moonlight and Magnolias in two hugely successful productions directed by Rachel O'Riordan in her debut season at Perth Theatre. Later that same year he was a recipient of The Argos Angel award for his performances in Paddy Cunneen's Fleeto and Wee Andy at the Brighton Festival.
McNicoll has also appeared regularly at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow in the annual Christmas pantomime.
On radio, he has worked extensively for the BBC for over thirty years, starting as a child actor, then progressing to writing and acting in plays and series for Radio 3 and 4. In July 2012, he could be heard as Pa Joad opposite Michelle Fairley in a three part Radio 4 Classic Serial adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. And with Brian Cox in episodes of McLevy.
In April 2013, he co-starred With Johnny Watson and Gail Watson in Rob Drummond's play Quiz Show that launched The Traverse Theatre's Fiftieth Anniversary Season.
In 2016, he starred with Freddie Fox in the comedy horror short The Northleach Horror directed by David Cairns.
In 2017, he played Biesenthal in Marathon Man with Ian McDiarmid for Radio 4.
McNicoll is familiar to younger audiences as the teacher Mr Mackie in the much loved BBC TV version of Katie Morag. And his numerous appearances in the hugely popular Teacup Travels. Most recently he has starred as Bob in the BAFTA nominated CBeebies series Molly and Mack. The show ran for four successful series and a fifth series has just been commissioned to start filming in 2022.
He has recently appeared as an interviewer as part of Ian Lavender's Dad's Army reminiscence show "Don't tell him Pike!" which played to full houses at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Assembly Rooms.
He starred as Jean at the Royal Lyceum in Murat Daltaban's DOT theatre company's acclaimed production of Zinnie Harris' adaptation of Ionesco's Rhinoceros as part of the Edinburgh International Festival in 2017.
Selected stage appearances Year Play/Theatre Role Notes2025 The Seagull, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Shamrayev Mike Poulton's adaptation of the play by Anton Chekhov2022 A Christmas Carol, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Mr Fezziwig / Nouadays 2018 The Belle's Stratagem, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Provost Hardy, Phillip, Gibson Tony Cownie's adaptation of Hannah Cowley's play2017 Rhinoceros, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Jean 2014 Kill Johnny Glendenning, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Bruce play by D.C. Jackson2013 The Shawshank Redemption, Assembly Rooms/The Gaiety, Dublin Brian Hadley 2013 Quiz Show, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Gerry Holland Winner: Best New Play Critic's Award for Theatre 20132012 Pygmalion, Òran Mór, Glasgow Henry Higgins 2012 Fleeto, Tumult in the Clouds DCI Martin Booth Winner: Argos Angel Award Brighton Festival 2012 Wee Andy, Tumult in the Clouds Andrew Graham Winner: Argos Angel Award Brighton Festival 2012 Moonlight and Magnolias, Perth Theatre David O Selznick 2011 Twelfth Night, Perth Theatre Sir Toby Belch 2011 Educating Agnes, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Hamish 2010 While You Lie, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Chris 2010 The Importance of Being Earnest, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Merriman/Lane play by Oscar Wilde 2007 The Merchant of Venice, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Gratiano 2006 Look Back in Anger : 50 years, Royal Court Cliff play by John Osborne 2006 Joking Apart, Northcott Theatre Sven 2005 Laurel and Hardy, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh / Olympia Theatre Dublin Oliver Hardy play by Tom McGrath 2005 Look Back in Anger, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh / Theatre Royal Bath Cliff Nominated: T.M.A Best supporting actor 2004 Dead Funny, Borderline Theatre Brian 2003 Man and Superman / The Steamie / The Matchmaker, Pitlochry Festival Theatre Hector Malone/ Andy/ Auguste Winner: Leon Sinden Award Best Actor 2001 The Comedy of Errors, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Dromio of Syracuse 1992 The Jesuit, Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh Watt play by Donald Campbell
Selected film and TV Year Title Company Role 2013 Katie Morag BBC Mr Mackie 2010 Garrow's Law BBC Yardley 2009 Joe Smeal's Wheels Film Nouveau Davie Bell 2008 Empty BBC Tam 2007 Legit BBC Sammy Fox 2006 Wearside Jack: The Ripper Hoaxer Channel 4 DCI Dick Holland 2004 The Return of Peg Leg Pete Fox Searchlight Pete 2002 Cry For Bobo Forged Film Coco 2001 V'elvet Soup BBC Writer/ Performer 2000 Velvet Soup BBC Writer/ Performer 1994–2011 Rab C. Nesbitt BBC Young Rab C
Selected radio appearances
Date Title Role Director Station Let It Bleed BBC – The Afternoon Play – Rebus: Let It BleedBBC – The Afternoon Play – Rebus: Let It Bleed Gaynor Macfarlane BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 15 Minutes to Go: Viper in the Nest Headmaster / Radio Announcer Lu Kemp BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama The Life Trainer Chaz Lu Kemp BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play The Time Between Two Tides Loan Shark/Operator Gaynor Macfarlane BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Bampot Central Constable McLaren Lu Kemp BBC Radio 3 The Wire Sex for Volunteers BBC – Afternoon Play – Sex for Volunteers Joe Kirsty Williams BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Christmas Eve BBC – Afternoon Play – Christmas Eve Vakula Bruce Young BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play No Help When Dead BBC – BBC Radio Scotland – No Help When Dead Baxter Kirsty Williams BBC Radio Scotland Drama – The Black Book BBC – Classic Serial – Rebus: The Black Book Mickey Rebus Bruce Young BBC Radio 4Classic Serial
References
External links
Steven McNicoll on BFI Steven McNicoll on Radio Listings