BACKSTABBING, subterfuge, Machiavellian double-dealings and mountain-sized egos . . .

Rona Munro’s three James Plays, the dramatization of the lives of the three generations of 15th century Stewart kings, reveal themes that resonate in politics today, particularly the rise of nationalism.

And all three plays are crammed into a weekend, with two triple bills on Saturday and Sunday.

Yet, while it all sounds like very hard work for Peter Forbes, the Glasgow-born actor, who has starred in Mamma Mia! in the west end, maintains it’s a dream job.

“The first plays is about King James 1 trying to establish a sense of nationhood again,” says Peter.

“The country has been carved up by groups of wealthy landowners, and families, who’ve been fighting with the French against the English. It’s chaos.”

In James I and James II, Peter plays Balvenie of the Douglas family, a man who learns how to schmooze his way to power.

“Balvenie is looking for a chance to achieve influence and becomes very close to the King and the Queen.

“And he survives into the second play. But by the time of James II, Balvenie has achieved power and influence and becomes transformed.”

Ah, such a familiar tale in politics.

“Oh yes. Then we then discover his abusive relationship with his son, which comes out of his own treatment as a boy. We see how victims become the perpetrators.”

The James Plays were first performed in 2014 before the Referendum.

“There was some ironic laughter at the expression of some of the more basic nationalistic expressions in the plays,” says the actor who studied at Bristol Old Vic Theatre school.

“I also got a sense of ‘We told you so,’ from some of the audience, but yet also a degree of sympathy for what the Scots had been going through in a build-up.

“I guess it was a nuanced response, which is sort of what I had expected of the plays. They weren’t a call for independence. The plays don’t lean on one side.”

Peter’s father was initially a school inspector who went on to run the prison service. The family moved around Scotland constantly, with two stints in Glasgow.

He left drama school in 1984 and worked in rep theatre. In recent times he has been touring the James plays in Australia and New Zealand.

“The Australians and New Zealanders loved them,” he says, with clear delight in his voice.

“There was an appreciation of the characters, the humour and the personal stories.

“What’s great about the plays is while you see epic events being acted out, but there is a great deal about personal relationships.”

The New Zealanders in particular really immersed themselves in the Scots politics.

“When we did a Q&A in Auckland I learned most of the audience were Scots, and in fact there was a Gaelic-speaking community on North Island.

“But the Maori community also really identified with the Scots, this sense of being the smaller neighbour to the larger country. They could also empathise with the idea of the Highlanders being displaced from the land and the cultural friction which results.

“What’s really great however is being able to take Scottish stories overseas get such a great reaction.”

Peter, who has appeared in a range of TV series over the years from Casualty to Grange Hill, compares the James trilogy to watching a box set of TV series Game of Thrones.

But this time the axe-chucking, power-hungry combatants are wearing kilts along with fake smiles.

“The story unfolds over a long period of time and you become really immersed in it.”

Peter Forbes brings a wealth of experience to his role. He’s appeared in countless Shakespeare productions over the years, starred in comedy and musical theatre. He had two years in the west end with Mamma Mia!

“It’s what I call my Swedish national service,” he says, grinning.

“That was a fantastic experience. My second son had just been born so it was a chance to stay at home and have a regular salary.

“But half way through the second year I took stage fright, and panicked that I wouldn’t be able to remember the lines.

“I’d break out in a sweat and the same thing would happen for the next line, and the next line. It was really horrible. It was so bad it lasted a whole week, to the point if it had continued I’d have had to leave the play.

“But the following week, it was gone. I think it was all about the repetition, it was just my brain saying you are in danger of going into autopilot here so I’m going to shake you up.

“Thankfully, it’s never happened since.”

While most of his work has been south of the border, in 2006 Peter had to chance to remind Scotland he existed when he landed a role in NTS spectacular, Blackwatch.

“It’s a very different circuit in Scotland,” he admits. “If you’re not part of it you’re not really known but Blackwatch changed that for me.

“It’s great to be able to work in Scotland and England."

He adds; “When I started going to theatre as a teenager I loved the older Scottish actors, such as Roddy McMillan and John Grieve, who made it all look so easy.

“Younger actors tend to storm at it. But the older Scots actors have certainly informed the work I’ve done since.”

The actor, adds; “The idea is the audience forget who you are. They don’t want to see the cogs whirling.”

But if Mamma Mia! Was repetitive, how does he cope with the demands of the James Plays?

“It’s hard, but the trilogy days are incredibly exhilarating,” he says, excitedly.

“The audiences love this shared experience.”

He breaks into a grin; But then afterwards of course you do collapse.”

• The James Plays, the King’s Theatre: James I, Friday at 730.pm. All three plays, James I, II and III will be staged on Saturday and Sunday, from 11 am.