The 10 best theatres in Edinburgh

One of the oldest theatre buildings in the city, the Royal Lyceum has since 1965 been home to the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, which produces a seasonal series of original and revived theatre productions for 48 weeks of every year, making it one of Scotland’s largest and most important producing companies. The range of work the company gets through is impressive, from restaged popular classics to work by new playwrights like Scotland’s DC Jackson and leftfield choices such as ‘Dark Places’, the debut theatrical script from Edinburgh crime author Ian Rankin.

As a doyen of Edinburgh’s cultural scene, the Traverse Theatre (known locally as the Trav) recently celebrated 50 years of bringing cutting-edge theatre and award-winning playwrights and performers to its stages. It’s continually at capacity during the Fringe, and throughout the rest of the year it flexes its creative muscles with similar force, presenting an array of specialist mini festivals and seasons.

Among Edinburgh’s best and biggest theatrical spaces, the Festival Theatre is unique in that it offers the best of multiple eras to its public. With the largest stage in Scotland, the Festival is an extremely versatile space, hosting touring musical productions, Edinburgh International Festival shows and low-key rock concerts. It’s also the Edinburgh home of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet.

Owned by the Ambassador Theatre group, the Playhouse is the largest and one of the most iconic theatre spaces in Edinburgh, not to mention one of the largest non-sport theatres in the UK, with a capacity of just over 3,000. Although initially it built a reputation as a home for big-name rock concerts, in recent years it has been used more as a venue for large-scale touring musical theatre shows, which appear on the bill on an almost weekly basis.

As Edinburgh’s newest – and hippest – multi-arts venue, Summerhall has quickly evolved from its former life as the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies into a cutting-edge performance space. Year round it puts on a programme of largely avant-garde, occasionally political exhibitions, talks, music, theatre, dance and film events – as well as functioning as a space for workshops and residencies.

The Bedlam Theatre holds the impressive accolade of being the oldest student-run theatre in the UK, and is home to Edinburgh uni’s talented theatre company. It has a 90-seat auditorium, but was one originally New North Free Church, built in 1848, until the theatre company took it over in 1980. The students here are committed, to say the least, and the theatre hosts at least 40 shows each year.

This place is one of three locations which are part of Pleasance Theatre company, but this branch, with its lovely cobbled courtyard and eighteen sub-venues, is often dubbed the heart of the Fringe. However, throughout the year the space is used for public events and by students, such as Edinburgh’s international Film Festival or for debates and live music.  

After the misery of four years of war and anticipation that it was nearing an end, it was playwright Andrew Wilson’s bright idea to create a place of leisure for the Edinburgh’s locals, and Edinburgh People’s Theatre was born. It’s been hosting Festival Fringe since back in 1947.

The King’s Theatre has a special place in Edinburgh’s cultural history, with the foundation stone laid back in 1906 by Andrew Carnegie. Today, it remains the place to go for a good old-fashioned Christmas panto. But aside from the festive season, you’ll find productions from the city’s amateur companies, touring works, children’s shows and plenty more all year round.

The King’s Theatre is temporarily closed for refurbishment. Check back for updates. 

Plenty of Edinburgh’s theatres double as eye-catching works of architecture, and Church Hill is no exception. The pink tint of the façade of this place is because it’s made from sandstone, originally being built as a church. However, it became a theatre back in 1960 and is home to one of Edinburgh’s many, many amateaur theatre companies.