Listings Mon 6 – Sun 12 October 2025
What’s on Edinburgh’s Stages this week?
There’s a fascinating programme this week, led by a low-key preview of a national tour at North Edinburgh Arts with previews of the Lyceum new season and buttressed by impressive touring work.
The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it top tip is for We Are The Lions, Mr Manager! from Townsend Productions at NEA (Sat only: tickets): The story of the great Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike of 1976-8, and inspirational strike-leader Jayaben Desai.
There is fair availability of £18 preview tickets for The Seagull at the Lyceum (Thurs 8- Sat 1 Nov: Tickets), the much awaited opening of new AD James Brining’s reign at the theatre, with Caroline Quentin leading a properly stellar ensemble.
Black Hole Sign, The Traverse’s NHS-set co-pro with the Tron and the NTS opens tonight (ends Sat 18: Tickets). Traverse AD Gareth Nicholls directs practising nurse Uma Nada-Rajah’s razor-sharp and hilarious look at the maligned by beloved institution.
War Horse (★★★★★ Exquisite) continues at the Festival Theatre (ends Sat: Tickets) with best availability on Saturday. While Riverdance 30 – The New Generation arrives at the Playhouse (Thurs – Sat: Tickets).
If the EUTC continue their current good form, their Antigone in Don Taylor’s translation at the Bedlam (ends Sat: Tickets) should be a corker – but wrap up warm!
Elsewhere, Turan Ali’s Queer Folks’ Tales at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is always a blast (Thurs: Tickets); there’s fun for the weens with The Paper Dolls from Little Angels and Polka Theatre at the Studio (Thurs – Sat: Tickets); and Katy Dixon’s promising but flawed lunchtime offering Cheapo at the Traverse (ends Sat: Tickets) has a few tickets left Thursday only.
Listings for the week to Sunday 12 October 2025:
Listings for the coming week are here: On stage Next Week.
For the following week’s listings, look here: On Stage the Following Week.
Click on the name of the show or the Book here link to go to its ticketing site.
Bedlam Theatre
11B Bristo Place, EH1 1EZ.
Antigone (EUTC)
Wed 8 – Sat 11 Oct 2025
Evenings: 7.30pm.
Translated by Don Taylor, Sophocles’ tragedy presents its audience with the clash of two compelling figures: Creon, the charismatic tyrant of Thebes, prizes the survival of the city above all; Antigone, his rebellious niece, champions the sanctity of personal conviction. Book here.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
War Horse
Thurs 2 – Sat 11 Oct 2025
Tue – Sat: 7.30pm; Thurs, Sat & Sat: 2.30pm.
Æ review (★★★★★ Exquisite).
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel, this powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized horses by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage. Book here.
Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848.
The Seagull
Adapted by Mike Poulton. Lyceum production.
Tue 14 Oct – Sat 1 Nov 2025
Tue – Sat: 7.30pm. Mats Thurs, Sat: 2.30pm.
Preview: Thurs 9 – Mon 13: 7.30pm.
Chekhov’s much-loved masterpiece soars anew in a darkly comic reimagining by Mike Poulter, with new AD James Brinning directing a stellar ensemble, led by Caroline Quentin. The Seagull blends sharp-edged comedy and emotionally rich drama into a timeless story of vanity, creative hunger, and the cost of dreams. Book here.
North Edinburgh Arts
12C MacMillan Square, Pennywell Road, EH4 4AB.
We Are The Lions, Mr Manager! (Townsend Productions)
Sat 11 Oct 2025
One performance: 7.30pm.
The story of the great Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike of 1976-8, and the inspirational strike-leader Jayaben Desai, one of many newly arrived Gujarati women workers from East Africa. Grunwick put centre-stage the issue of the exploitation of immigrant workers, nailing the myth that Asian workers were passive and unorganisable. Book here.
Playhouse
18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA. Phone booking: 0844 871 3014.
Riverdance 30 – The New Generation
Thurs 9 – Sat 11 Oct 2025
Fri/Sat: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2.30pm.
Since Riverdance first emerged onto the world stage, its fusion of Irish and international dance and music has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. This spectacular production rejuvenates the much-loved original show with new innovative choreography and costumes and state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics. Book here.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High St, EH1 1SR. Phone booking: 0131 556 9579.
Queer Folks’ Tales (Turan Ali)
Thur 9 Oct 2025.
Evening: 7.30pm
Æ Review: ★★★★★ Triumphant
Turan Ali hosts the hugely popular bi-monthly storytelling series where queer storytellers from a diverse range of backgrounds, ages and cultures around Edinburgh and Scotland share stories of LGBTQ+ lives, past, present and future. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking, the mix of true and fictional stories across the year is as varied as the range of storytellers invited. Book here.
Studio Theatre
The Studio, 22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
The Paper Dolls (Little Angel & Polka Theatres)
Thu 9 – Sat 11 Oct 2025
Daily: 10.30am & 1.30pm.
When a little girl cuts out a string of paper dolls she takes them by the hand and together they go on a fantastical adventure whirling through their home and garden. Ticky, Tacky, Jackie the Backie, Jim with two noses and Jo with the bow fly through time and tear across worlds of fun and excitement in this adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb’s book. Book here.
Traverse
10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED. Phone booking: 0131 228 1404.
Cheapo (PPP)
By Katy Dixon.
Tue 7 – Sat 10 Oct 2025
Lunchtime: 1pm (Trav 2).
After school at his local KFC, Jamie is setting up to play chess with his best pal as usual. But his class-mate Kyla turns up instead, forcing Jamie to play with her as she needs something from him that her whole life depends on. A high-stakes drama about two teenagers growing up in a world that treats them like adults. Book here.
Black Hole Sign (Tron & Traverse in association with NTS)
By Uma Nada Rajah.
Wed 8 – Sat 18 Oct 2025
Tue – Sat: 7.30pm; Mats Sats & Thurs 16: 2.30pm (Trav 1).
When a hole appears in the roof of a crumbling and understaffed A&E department, patients, porters and nurses do what they must to make it through the night. Directed by Traverse AD Gareth Nicholls. 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.
