Alan played the role of the Emcee in Sam Mendes' revival of "Cabaret" (London's Donmar Warehouse). He received a 1994 Olivier award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for "Cabaret". 

In 1994 he made his first Hollywood film, Circle of Friends (1995) and received acclaim as the oleaginous Sean Walsh. Following, he had two films released in quick succession (Emma (1996) and GoldenEye (1995) that brought him to the attention of American producers. He appeared in several Hollywood films, such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and Buddy (1997). He returned to the UK in 1997 to work with Stanley Kubrick and The Spice Girls before returning stateside in 1998 to reprise his role in "Cabaret" on Broadway. The show and his portrayal were a sensation, and he received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Theatre World, FANY, New York Press and New York Public Advocate's awards for his performance. Since then he has alternated between theater and films, and between smaller independent films and more mainstream fare. His theater work includes 2001's "Design for Living" on Broadway and the hugely successful off-Broadway "Elle" by Jean Genet, which he adapted and played the lead in 2002. Films have included Julie Taymor's Titus (1999), Urbania (2000), the "Spy Kids" trilogy, Josie and the Pussycats (2001), X2 (2003), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Son of the Mask (2005) and the Showtime movie musical _Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) (TV)_. He wrote, directed, produced and acted in The Anniversary Party (2001) with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which premiered at the Cannes Film festival in 2002 and went on to win a National Board of Review award and two Independent Spirit award nominations. More recently he has produced the documentary "Show People" (2004) and the films Sweet Land (2005) and Full Grown Men (2006) (and appears in both) and acted in the movies Grey Matters (2005) opposite Heather Graham and Bam Bam and Celeste (2005) opposite Margaret Cho. in 2006 returned to Broadway as Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera". He is now touring the world performing in concert.