Festival Theatre
Murder on the Orient Express
★★★☆☆ Reassuring mystery
The touring production of Murder on the Orient Express from Fiery Angel at the Festival Theatre is a reliable whodunnit, well performed and staged with commendable ambition. Not everything about the staging convinces, but the result is pleasing.
Bluevolution World Tour
★★★★☆ Imaginative
The Blue Man Group have brought their superbly imaginative performance art skills to the Festival Theatre this week to Sunday, as part of their current Bluevolution World Tour.
A Chorus Line
★★★★★ Incandescent
Leicester-based producing theatre Curve brings the revival of its hit production of A Chorus Line to Edinburgh with the energy and honesty that defines this enduring classic, polished as bright as its iconic mirrors with fresh direction, design, and outstanding performances.
Rebus: A Game Called Malice
★★★☆☆ Satisfying
Rebus: A Game Called Malice at the Festival Theatre as part of a UK tour, is a cleverly constructed – if distinctly old-fashioned – piece of theatre.
Cats
★★★★☆ Spectacular
The Beyond Broadway Experience return to the Festival Theatre with their annual showcase of local youth talent, bringing together 200 young people for a spectacular performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
Life of Pi
★★★★☆ Visually spectacular
Considerable theatrical magic can be found in the touring production of Life of Pi at the Festival Theatre. If the staging sometimes overwhelms the storytelling, it is still a production of real impact.
Quadrophenia Ballet for Festival Theatre
Townsend and The Who’s album gets ballet treatment
The Who’s 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia is to be re-imagined by Sadler’s Wells as a dance production: Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet, which will get its Scottish premiere at the Festival Theatre in June 2025.
Bonnie & Clyde musical gunned down
Tour pulled because of poor ticket sales
The UK tour of Bonnie and Clyde the musical, which had been due to play the Edinburgh Festival Theatre in July, has been shut down with immediate effect and will no longer play Edinburgh.
The Music Man
★★★★☆ Massive
Huge production numbers and constant energy dominate Southern Light’s The Music Man at the Festival Theatre. Undeniably frothy and not a little silly, it has a scale and magnetism that draw the audience in.
The Gondoliers
★★★★☆ Sparkling
The Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s production of The Gondoliers has a vitality and melodicism that always catches the eye and ear.
