Listings: week to Sun 7 Sept 2025
What’s on Edinburgh’s stages this week?
The Lyceum fires up its season with Apphia Campbell’s Black is the Colour, PenPal productions are putting on a Feast and there are Hopeful Monsters at the Studio as the Fringe recedes into memory.
The real marker that the Fringe is over, however is the arrival of the young folk of the LYAMC at the Church Hill Theatre. Which is where they are this week with a production of The Wizard of Oz (Wed – Sat: Tickets).
One of the the big amateur youth companies of the city, the Lothian Youth Arts and Musicals company hold open auditions in January, and a concert performance in the spring, so by the time the main production swings by in September they are a well-drilled team and certainly worth a look.
Apphia Campbell in Black is the Color of My Voice. Pic: Rod Penn.
The big show in town is thanks to Apphia Campbell, who is opening an Autumn tour of her brilliant tribute to the life of Nina Simone, Black is the Colour of My Voice, with three nights at the Lyceum (Tue – Thurs: Tickets).
Rather than being a straight biopic of the singer, or even a rehearsal of her best-known songs, Campbell looks into her deeply held politics of black liberation and church background to create something of a slow burn of energy.
contrasting
Young theatre-goers are well served this weekend with a contrasting pair of shows.
On Friday, the Scottish/English/Hungarian puppetry company Hopeful Monster is at the Studio Theatre with Hopeful Monsters (Fri/Sat: Tickets) their piece of tabletop puppetry for adults and children aged 5+ inspired by evolutionary theory.
Combining visual theatre, an original soundtrack and puppetry, this is a playful exploration of all living things being made of the same fundamental building blocks. It’s a story of survival and struggle, of connection and transformation. A reminder of the playfulness of living: “After all, we humans are animals too”.
A ray and a squid in Hopeful Monsters at the Studio Theatre. Fri 5/SAt 6 Sept 2025. Pic: Hopeful Monster.
Then the Lyceum has Pirates Love Underpants, based on the book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort (Sat/Sun: Tickets), will no doubt be very silly indeed, as a swashbuckling party of pirates set out on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s treasure chest,
There will be the dodging of hungry crocs beneath Long-John Bridge, bobbing on the waves of Big Knickers Bay, the spotting sharks in fancy underpants, and of course a trek across Three Pants Ridge. Arrrr.
Listings
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.
Church Hill Theatre
33 Morningside Road, EH10 4DR.
The Wizard of Oz (LYAMCl)
Wed 3 – Sat 6 September 2025.
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2.30pm.
The Lothian Youth Arts and Musicals Company travel through the twister to join Dorothy and Toto on the Yellow Brick Road, with the Scarecrow, Lion and the Tin Man for company. Book here.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
Neurospicy (Gary Meikle)
Fri 5 Sept 2025
Evenings: 7.30pm.
On 23 January 2024, I was diagnosed as being neurodivergent which was kind of a surprise to me, but funnily enough, not to anyone that knows me. Although surprising, this pretty much answered my full life and why I am the way I am. Book here.
Ocean Film Festival
Sat 6 Sept 2025
Evening: 7.30pm.
Climb aboard for a night of ocean adventure! The Ocean Film Festival World Tour features a new collection of the world’s most incredible ocean films! Brought to you by the team behind the Banff Mountain Film Festival UK & Ireland tour, this selection of short films combines breath-taking marine life and wild seafaring voyages in a cinematic celebration of our oceans. Book here.
Institute française d’Écosse
W Parliament Sq, Edinburgh EH1 1RN.
Les Misérables (Stéphanie Goud)
Fri 5 – Sat 6 Sep 2025
Evenings: 6pm. In French with French surtitles.
A vibrant and heartfelt theatrical adaptation inspired by Victor Hugo’s timeless masterpiece Les Misérables, directed by Stéphanie Goud. Brought to life by Les Pantouflards — a “spirited troupe of amateur performers made up of students, staff, and members of the Institut français d’Écosse“. Promises a fresh take on a classic tale of love, justice and revolution. Book here.
Leith Depot
138-142 Leith Walk EH6 5DT.
Feast (PenPal Productions)
Mon 1 Sept 2025
Evening: 8pm.
Another round of Drama at the Depot. Six pint-sized plays written by Edinburgh-based playwrights to a prompt are rehearsed on the day and read script-in-hand in the evening by professional actors. Each playwright develops the theme in their own, personal way. Home baking available. Book here.
Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848.
Black is the Color of My Voice (25/26 Season)
Written and directed by Apphia Campbell.
Tuesday 2-Thursday 4 Sept 2025
Evening: 7.30pm. Wed mat: 2.30pm..
Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, and featuring many of her most iconic songs performed live. The play follows a successful singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. Book here.
Pirates Love Underpants
Based on the book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort.
Sat 6/Sun 7 Sept 2025
Both dates: 11am; Sat only: 2pm..
These pirates SO love underpants! Join our swashbuckling party of pirates on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s treasure chest! Filled with music, puppetry, and glittering pants of gold, arrr you ready to set sail for a family adventure? Book here.
Playhouse
18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA. Phone booking: 0844 871 3014.
Joanne McNally: Pinotphile
Sat 6 Sept 2025
Performance: 8pm.
After her Prosecco Express tour, Joanne McNally has been keeping herself busy by ruining men’s lives (and her own) and now she’s back: still single, still unfertilised, and laden with irreverent, ridiculous and hilarious war stories. Join her wild ride navigating situationships, revenge, frenemies and rejection… Book here.
Saving Grace
Sun 7 Sept 2025
Evening: 7.30pm.
GK Barry is taking her wildly popular podcast, Saving Grace, on the road for an unmissable UK tour! Fresh out of the I’m A Celeb! jungle, Grace brings her signature chaos, comedy and charisma to the stage. Book here.
Studio Theatre
The Studio, 22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
Hopeful Monsters
Fri 5 – Sat 6 Sep 2025
Fri: 6pm; Sat: 1.30pm.
The story of evolution told entirely with hands. They move and morph in unusual ways, becoming unexpected creatures that shapeshift as we journey through water, earth and air. It’s a tale of survival and struggle, of connection and transformation, and a reminder of the playfulness of living. After all, we humans are animals too. Book here.
DENDS
