Listings Mon 20 – Sun 26 July 2026
What’s on Edinburgh’s stages this week?
The big news of the week is the soft opening of the King’s Theatre with a trio of Dress Rehearsal nights, to get everything front of house and back stage up to speed before the grand reopening next week.
Before that, however, one of Æ’s favourite big little nights takes place down at the Leith Depot, where PenPals Productions’s Drama at the Depot is the theme of Fever Dream (Mon, tickets).
Monday’s edition has work by Carolyn Yates, Cat Scott, Clare Cockburn, Lola Rose Wood, Mell Flinn, and Scott Strom. It will be brought to life, script in hand, by Jemima Gleeson, Moj Taylor, Nicola Jo Cully and Philip Kingscott under the direction of Salvador Kent.
The King’s Theatre is nearly ready to reopen. Pic: Thom Dibdin
The first of the King’s dress rehearsals, on Thursday and featuring a wealth of local amateur talent, has unsurprisingly already sold out. Most of the briefs still available for the two Saturday performances are up in the gods. That is Frozen Sing-a-long (mat: tickets) and Black Magic featuring ex-politician Mhairi Black and magician Kevin Quantum (eve: tickets).
Summer school season continues with a couple of big musicals. Up at the Festival Theatre the Beyond Broadway experience have Little Shop of Horrors (Fr/Sat: tickets) the B-Movie adaptation, telling of Seymour and his bloodthirsty plant pet, Audrey II.
Down at Portobello Town Hall, Stage Door’s summer production is The Little Mermaid – Jr (Thur-Sat: tickets) about the curious young mermaid Ariel who dreams of life on land – risking everything for love, adventure, and the chance to find her own voice.
There’s some al-fresco theatre on Thursday out at Lauriston Castle, where Quantum Theatre have a matinee of Treasure Island (Thu: tickets). It’s set to be a bit overcast, but no rain is forecast so it should be a great afternoon’s swashbuckling entertainment.
Then in the evening, Glasgow new work company Atelier 32 has Modern Love at the Scottish Storytelling Theatre (Thurs: tickets), about a couple struggling to see out the necessary ending of their relationship.
And something for the weekend? Well, abut 21 years ago Corinne Davies brought a brilliant wee comedy upstairs at the Roxy, about some newlyweds who buy a house in a highland town and find their new housekeeper has her own ideas about how things are done. It was a cracking wee piece, well observed and packed with comedy.
The great news is that Davies has updated her script for A Stag Named Angus and will be staging it at the Magnusson Theatre of the Edinburgh Academy (Sat – Mon: tickets). Well worth a view, this should be the hidden gem of the week.
Listings for the week: Mon 20 – Sun 26 July 2026:
Click on the name of the show or the Book here link to go to its ticketing site.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
Little Shop of Horrors (Beyond Broadway)
Fri 24/Sat 25 Jul 2026
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2.30pm.
When timid floral assistant Seymour stumbles upon a strange plant, he has no idea how his life is about to change. As the plant’s growth draws attention to the struggling Skid Row flower shop, Seymour finds himself on the brink of fame, fortune, and the affection of his coworker, Audrey. The Beyond Broadway Experience features 200 talented young performers. Book here.
King’s Theatre
2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ.
A Great Night Out (King’s Dress Rehearsal)
Thurs 23 July 2026
One performance: 7.30pm.
Hosted by panto favourites Clare Gray and Gail Watson, and featuring Allegro, Bohemians Lyric Opera Company, Edinburgh Gang Show, Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Edinburgh Music Theatre, Showcase and Southern Light, this event celebrates the performers, companies and audiences who have made the King’s such an important part of Edinburgh’s theatre life and ensured that the King’s is so important to so many generations. Book here.
Sing-along Frozen (King’s Dress Rehearsal)
Sat 25 July 2026
One performance: 2.30pm.
The Sing-A-Long version of Frozen, a stunning big-screen comedy-adventure inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. These events will help give the King’s a test run with a full audience. Various aspects of a working theatre will be tested. All proceeds will support the King’s Theatre redevelopment.. Book here.
Mhairi Black and Kevin Quantum (King’s Dress Rehearsal)
Sat 25 July 2026
One performance: 7.30pm.
What better than a double bill of laughs and thrills. MP turned comedian Mhairi Black joins us following two sold-out Fringe runs to keep you chuckling and Kevin Quantum will amaze with his blend of mind-blowing illusions, razor-sharp comedy, and a touch of the unexpected. Book here.
Lauriston Castle
2a Cramond Road South, Davidson’s Mains EH4 5QD.
Treasure Island (Quantum Theatre)
Thurs 23 July 2026
Afternoon: 2.30pm.
Join plucky Jim Hawkins and his crew of salty old sea dogs on their search for buried treasure in Quantum Theatre’s exciting adaptation of the pirate adventure classic, Treasure Island. An action-packed show for all the family! Book here.
Leith Depot
138-142 Leith Walk EH6 5DT.
Drama @ The Depot: Fever Dream (PenPal Productions)
Mon 20 July 2026
Evening: 8pm.
It’s hot, hot, hot! Why not join the Penpals for some short play summer fun at The Depot. Here be six pint-sized plays written by Edinburgh-based playwrights, rehearsed on the day & read script-in-hand in the evening by professional actors. Book here.
Magnusson Theatre
Edinburgh Academy, 42 Henderson Row, EH3 5DW.
A Stag Named Angus (Corinne V. Davies)
Sat 25 – Mon 27 July 2026
Evening: 7.30pm.
Newlyweds Hollie and Rob Whitely have decided to relocate from London to the impressive ‘Logan House’ in the village of Dunlair. However, Aggie Logan, isn’t keen on relinquishing her hold on her families old home. Davies updates to the script she first staged 21 years ago… Book here.
Portobello Town Hall
147-149 Portobello High St, Portobello EH15 1AF.
The Little Mermaid – Jr (Stage Door)
Thur 23 – Sat 25 July 2026
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2pm.
Journey beneath the waves with Ariel, a curious young mermaid who dreams of life on land – risking everything for love, adventure, and the chance to find her own voice. The production will feature a local cast of children; led by a professional production & technical team. Book here.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High St, EH1 1SR. Phone booking: 0131 556 9579.
Modern Love (Atelier 32)
Thurs 23 July 2026.
One performance: 7pm
Estelle and Andrew have been together since university, building a life together – or so Andrew believes. When Estelle unexpectedly ends the relationship, they have to endure a six-week transition period before separating for good. Still living under the same roof, they attempt to navigate the emotional and practical fallout in very different ways. Book here.
*NB: This is intended to be a complete listing of all public theatrical productions on in Edinburgh. If you are staging a show which is not listed, or a listing is inaccurate, please get in touch through the contact page, here.
