Experience the exhilarating buzz of live performance this spring as Edinburgh plays host to an array of sensational shows.
Whether you crave the rhythm of dance, the harmony of musicals, the laughter of comedy, the grandeur of opera, or the depth of drama, Edinburgh offers a host of dazzling opportunities. And this springtime, there’s a fantastic selection of shows coming to Edinburgh’s theatres.
Simply too many to feature here, we’ve complied a small selection of the city’s top springtime theatre offerings – all sure to create memories that will linger long after the curtain falls.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Prepare for the spectacular spectacular Moulin Rouge! The Musical as it begins its World Tour at Edinburgh Playhouse from April 2025!
It’s a world of splendour and romance that Edinburgh has never seen before. And if that isn’t enough to convince you that this mash-up musical is worth seeing, maybe the 5 Drama Desk Awards, 11 Outer Critics Circle Awards, and 14 Tony Award Nominations will be.
A world where bohemians and aristocrats meet in the middle to enjoy cultivating charm, Harold Zidler compels you to take a seat and revel in the extravaganza that is Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Expect an exceptional performance of truth, beauty, freedom and above all – love.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical will come to Edinburgh Playhouse from 22 April to 14 June 2025.
The Ultimate Rock Show
Dust off your air guitars for an evening of the very best classic rock anthems from legends past and present!
The Ultimate Classic Rock Show will take you on a roller coaster journey of classic rock nostalgia, performing hit after hit live with stunning accuracy, high energy and accompanied by an incredible light and projection show, they’re guaranteed to have you on your feet all night.
Over two hours of classic rock anthems from artists such as Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Free, The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix to name but a few!
The Ultimate Classic Rock Show will come to the Festival Theatre on Sunday 25 May 2025.
Pride and Prejudice (*sort of)
Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy and the Evening Standard Award, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story.
Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. This multi-award-winning production features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain.
Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) will come to the Festival Theatre from 22 to 26 April 2025.
Edinburgh Tradfest: Claire Hastings (Relaxed Performance)
Edinburgh Tradfest: Claire Hastings (Relaxed Performance) is a one-hour gig, and is designed to appeal to all ages, from new babies upwards.
Award-winning Scottish folk singer Claire Hastings presents a varied repertoire of traditional, contemporary and original songs including a fair smattering of tracks from her recent Scottish Lullabies album. Take your little ones along to enjoy some of Scotland’s most beautiful melodies and perhaps join in with some of the interactive aspects of the concert. There will be lots of opportunities to sing, dance and clap along.
Edinburgh Tradfest: Claire Hastings will come to the Traverse Theatre on Saturday 10 May 2025.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is an audacious, rule-breaking reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece that caused a sensation when it premiered almost 30 years ago. It has now become the most successful dance theatre production of all time, creating new audiences and inspiring generations of young dancers. In celebration of that ongoing impact, Swan Lake will take flight once more in a major new revival for the next generation of dancers, and for audiences who will experience it for the very first time.
Thrilling, bold, witty and emotive, this genre-defining event is still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention, turning tradition on its head.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake will come to the Festival Theatre from 09 to 12 April 2025.
Levison Wood: Walking the World – A Life of Exploration and Adventure
Join Levison Wood, a world-renowned explorer, best-selling author and TV presenter, as he embarks on his fifth UK theatre tour, Walking the World: A Life of Exploration and Adventure.
This show will celebrate the human spirit and the transformative power of travel, with captivating stories from Levison’s remarkable adventures over the past 20 years, from the icy landscapes of the Himalayas to the scorching deserts of Arabia.
Levison will take audiences on a visual and emotional journey spanning his entire career to date, including Walking the Nile, the Himalayas and Americas, as well as documenting efforts to protect endangered species across three continents and exploring volatile borders across the Middle East. He will also offer an exclusive preview of his latest book, The Great Tree Story: How Forests Have Shaped Our World and a behind-the-scenes look at the development of a major film.
Levison Wood: Walking the World – A Life of Exploration and Adventure will come to the Queen’s Hall on Monday 19 May 2025.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Step through the wardrobe into the magic kingdom of Narnia with the West End smash-hit production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they meet new friends, face dangerous foes and learn the lessons of courage, sacrifice, and the power of love.
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of C.S. Lewis’ classic novel, watch The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe come to life in this spectacular production—a delight for all ages.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will come to the Festival Theatre from 13 to 17 May 2025.
Benji Waterhouse: You Don’t Have to Be Mad to Work Here – Book Tour 2025
NHS psychiatrist, award-winning comedian, and Sunday Times best-selling author Benji Waterhouse —is going on his first book tour!
Through a mixture of stand-up and chapter readings he unlocks the doors to the psych ward and answers life’s big questions: What’s the secret to happiness? What’s the best way to escape from a psychiatric hospital? And what is the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a psychic?
Benji Waterhouse: You Don’t Have to Be Mad to Work Here – Book Tour 2025 includes an exclusive book signing and Q&A (your best chance to speak to an NHS psychiatrist, without the 12-month waiting list).
Benji Waterhouse: You Don’t Have to Be Mad to Work Here – Book Tour 2025 will come to the Traverse Theatre on Saturday 17 May 2025.
Calamity Jane
The musical comedy classic Calamity Jane is returning to Edinburgh. Based on the much-loved Doris Day movie, this new production stars the multi-award-winning West End actor and singer Carrie Hope Fletcher (Cinderella, Les Misérables).
Meet the fearless Calamity Jane – biggest mouth in Dakota territory and always up for a fight. She’ll charm you hog-eyed though, especially when trying to win the heart of the dashing Lieutenant Gilmartin or shooting insults at the notorious Wild Bill Hickok. But when the men of Deadwood fall hard for Chicago stage star Adelaid Adams, Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy holstered. Her heart’s a thumpin’… but who for?
With classic songs The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), The Black Hills of Dakota, Just Blew in from the Windy City, and the Oscar-winning Secret Love.
Calamity Jane will come to the Festival Theatre from 15 to 19 April 2025.
Mama’s Broke
Mama’s Broke is a powerful folk duo that deliver a compelling performance with heart and raw energy.
Although highly influenced by their Canadian roots, Lisa and Amy are based out of nowhere and everywhere.
Their two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion into their performance. Their original – and often dark – compositions push the boundaries of tradition and the constraints of genre. Drawing from old-time, Quebecois, blues, punk, Celtic, Balkan and doom metal, they create a soundscape that is both familiar and new.
Mama’s Broke will come to the Traverse Theatre on Thursday 22 May 2025.
In Other Words
Connected by the voice of Frank Sinatra, this intimate, humorous and deeply moving love story In Other Words, explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and the transformative power of music to help us remember the past, connect with the present and hope for the future.
Matthew Seager’s five star, 4 time Molière Award winning play has now been seen by over 300,000 people in multiple languages across the globe.
In Other Words will come to The Studio Theatre from 2 to 03 May 2025.
Ross Ainslie & the Sanctuary Band
Ross Ainslie is one of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians and composers, playing pipes, whistles and cittern. He is renowned for his highly acclaimed solo material and as a skilled performer and prolific collaborator.
His work is gloriously immersive with the sumptuous sounds of The Sanctuary Band (featured on the last four albums) filling The Queen’s Hall. They are: Greg Lawson (Triptic) on fiddle, Paul Towndrow (SNJO) on sax, Steve Byrnes (Kate Rusby) on guitar, Hamish Napier (Su-a Lee & Friends) on keys, James Lindsay (Breabach) on bass, John Blease (Paulo Nutini) on drums and percussion, and of course, Ross leading on pipes, whistles and cittern.
Ross Ainslie & the Sanctuary Band will come to Queen’s Hall on Friday 02 May 2025.
From live theatre to ground-breaking exhibitions, discover more events coming to Edinburgh.
