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    Edinburgh Playhouse

    4.1 (46 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

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    Amy G.

    There is a variety of theatres in Edinburgh and this one is perhaps the most centrally located. There is a huge selection of restaurants, bars and cafes nearby and Waverley station is only two minutes walk. Of all the theatres in Edinburgh, this is probably the fun one. By fun I mean it hosts shows such as Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, High School Musical and We Will Rock You. So you can have some culture without being too serious and experience some of West Ends finest shows in Edinburgh. As Edinburgh is undoubtedly world renowned for its culture (Edinburgh Festival anyone?) there is bound to be a show on here that tickles your fancy. The theatre itself is quite big, if a little cramped and uncomfortable. I took my mum to see Mary Poppins here for her birthday and we were in the very last row with my knees were around my ears. There is the standard refreshments available, which are grossly overpriced. My advice is sneak in some juice and sweets to nibble on in the interval.

    Em C.

    As the previous reviewers have highlighted, the Playhouse showcases the biggest touring productions, and brings a flavour of London's west end to Scottish soil. It holds over 3000 people, is gloriously ornate inside and has seen a number of big names over the years. Acts as diverse as Metallica and Neil Young have filled the premises with their dulcet tones, not to mention the number of smash hit west end musicals it has seen in its time. From the current Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Cats, JC and more recently, Wicked, people travel from all over Scotland to see plays, bands, musicals and comedy acts in this hall. Yes the paint may be chipping, the seats slightly frayed and the bar is a bit trodden, but these aspects can be found in most theatres. I don't tend to frequent theatre bars since they're always overpriced and a bit shabby, which is a surprising general rule in my experience (even on Broadway believe it or not!) So I would advise you occupy one of the surrounding bars before the show - they are in plentiful supply. As for paint peeling, I always feel it adds to the charm of a theatre - although perhaps the Playhouse should maybe give it a freshening up as Emily suggested. But I love the Playhouse. You get a great view all around, even from the Gods, and it has come a long way since it was one of the great Scottish picture houses all those years ago.

    Very big - balcony goes up for miles
    Suzy G.

    I love the Fringe and seeing up and coming bands and shows so I actually have never been to the Playhouse, until last week and WOW - it's big!! I had seats near the back of the circle and had a full view of the stage but it was far and the actors looked fairly small. In fact, it made me curious what the view would be like from the balcony (next tier up). I had a wander down the side to the front of the circle and looked up - the balcony stretched up for miles! Note to self - don't buy seats up there unless I bring binoculars! (actually you can hire them at your seat for a pound - which may be a necessity in some seats). But, this bigness is not a bad thing. The seats are well tiered - unless you sit behind a giant - your view should be uninterrupted and the big stage means all the top shows can come along to Edinburgh. We saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert which had great sets and effects and these were well handled at the Playhouse. I've just booked tickets for a show nearly a year from now and am very happy that for that I managed to get front row circle. A bit expensive but far cheaper than flying down to London for a show and just as impressive as any London theatre.

    I've been lucky enough to visit Edinburgh's grand Playhouse on a few different occasions and each and every time I leave feeling that I have had one of the best theatre experiences available. Tickets vary in price depending on what show you want to see, but you can book loads of great last minute deals for not a lot of money. Musicals are a favourite at the Playhouse and having been to one both here and in London's West End, I have to say Edinburgh's Playhouse puts up a great fight and really offers a taste of the West End in Scotland! Nothing beats a night at the theatre and with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby to make a night of it, you will not be disappointed!

    From business website

    There are many theatres in Edinburgh, and without a doubt, this is the most well known of them all. The Playhouse hosts the biggest and best shows all around, recently having Wicked, We Will Rock You and Mama Mia to offer theatre goers across the city. It tends not to offer the smaller, independant shows or less well known shows - but as I mentioned there are lots of other theatres for that. So if all singing, all dancing musical extravaganza's are your thing, this is the theatre you need to keep an eye on - there is always something to go and see. The theatre itself is one of the larger ones in the city, but the Playhouse has crammed as many seats as it can inside the hall meaning that it can get a bit cramped and uncomfotable, but really thats how it is in most theatres. Playhouse can get a bit expensive, but over all I do think it is worth it.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Edinburgh Playhouse

    The Playhouse, just situated across from Prince's Street on Leith Walk, is an absolutely fantastic place.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Festival Theatre

    Festival Theatre

    4.3(37 reviews)
    0.7 miNewington

    Although the original building wasn't designed for it, the Festival Theatre is now the largest…read morestage in Scotland and is the de facto home for opera, ballet and large scale touring musical productions. Seating just a shade under 2,000 people, it also serves as the main showcase venue during the Edinburgh Festival (as you might expect from the name). This location has held a theatre since 1830, and is Edinburgh's oldest theatre site. Resurrected from the old Empire Palace theatre, the restoration involved preservation of the auditorium and not much else. The front of house was replaced by a light, airy glass-fronted façade which, while not exactly sympathetic to the surrounding buildings, is at least an exciting addition to the area. Inside there are spacious foyers, bars, cloakrooms and a cafe area, with a central staircase providing access to all levels. There are plenty of toilets and some function rooms that you can hire for conferences or events.The contrast between this modern structure and the traditional auditorium is quite startling. The backstage area was completely rebuilt from scratch, and the actual stage is enormous - the largest in Scotland - with a side stage and rear scene dock of similar size, enabling it to stage some of the larger European operas that come to the Edinburgh Festival. In 2013 they added a Studio theatre in a new building on Potterrow, providing extra rehearsal space or a smaller performance venue for dance and small companies - a welcome addition and much needed in Edinburgh. Now, a little bit of history for you: The Moss Empires were a chain of theatres around the country, known for their large-capacity wide auditoriums, and many of them still exist, such as the Liverpool and Hackney Empires, and of course there was the infamous (and now sadly vanished) Glasgow Empire. In style they are all quite similar and can seem quite plain architecturally, favouring function over form, compared with some of the smaller more intimate theatres. This particular theatre was originally designed by the renowned (and prolific) theatre architect Frank Matcham; but you would be hard-pressed to recognise any of the characteristic Matcham features, as the building burned to the ground in a disastrous fire in 1911 during a performance by the famous illusionist, The Great Lafayette. Although the safety curtain was lowered, a piece of set prevented it from coming in fully, causing a draught which fanned the fire into an inferno killing Lafayette, ten members of his company, the lion involved in the illusion he was performing, his horse and some stage crew who were unable to escape the stage as Lafayette had ordered all the doors to the stage locked to prevent unwanted interlopers discovering his secrets. His body was soon found in the wreckage and sent to Glasgow for cremation. Two days later however, workers clearing the debris found an identical body, identified as Lafayette by the fancy rings he wore - the original body found was his secret body double, his means of performing many of his illusions. Or was it? Some say that the first body was the correct one, and that his shade haunts the theatre to this day because of the mix-up... His funeral procession through the streets of Edinburgh attracted an estimated crowd of 250,000 people, and he was laid to rest in Piershill cemetery. Because of this tragic accident, legislation was passed requiring all theatres to drop and/or lift the safety curtain at each performance in sight of the audience, just to prove that it is functioning correctly. So the next time you are at the theatre and see the safety curtain being lowered, spare a thought for The Great Lafayette, a real-life tragedy more dramatic than any play.

    A great program of both mainstream theatre and more unusual performances such as circus, ballet and…read moreopera. I'm aiming to see at least one new piece of theatre each month this year so I've been here quite a bit because the programme is so good. The building itself is impressive with a glass front so you can people watch from all levels, my favourite is the first floor bar area. Being a relatively modern building there are a good number of ladies toilets so you don't end up spending the whole interval in the queue and still have time to get ice cream. The seats in the theatre are not that comfortable but are OK for most length performances. If you are planning on going to more than two or three shows a year it's worth while becoming a 'friend' of the festival and kings theatre for £39. You get 2 for 1 tickets on most opening nights plus 20% off other performances and discounts in various nearby restaurants. Plus you can book in advance so with some careful planning you can book 18 months of theatre with one year's membership.

    Photos
    Festival Theatre
    Festival Theatre
    Festival Theatre

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    Pleasance Theatre - image courtesy of http://www.pleasance.co.uk/edinburgh/

    Pleasance Theatre

    4.0(6 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    ££

    I've been to the main Pleasance several times, either as a Festival gig or some other event, but…read morethis was the first time I'd been in the 'Forth' venue. Having collected my tickets and wandered around the packed courtyard for a while looking for it, I eventually found a sign pointing down the back stairs towards the toilet block, where a queue was forming at the basement. Ah, that's handy enough, thought I - until we got in and had to schlep up several flights of stairs to the top floor. I think they mis-spelled the name; it - it should be 'Fourth' for 4th floor!

    For eleven months of the year this place is one of the Edinburgh Uni's Student Unions, but during…read morethe Festival in August it's a really popular and well-used venue for comedy and music shows. It's a small venue, I'd say it seats around 20-30 with more room for a standing at the back, so if you're going to see a show here you should get there early! That said, the reason I gave it 3 stars and not 4 is how cramped it is. Even if you do get there early enough to be far enough forward in the queue for a seat, if you're bigger than the average hobbit you'll struggle with the lack of leg room. And this is also where being small is a disadvantage - although you get much more intimate performances here, it'll also be 30oC and really smelly by the time the interval comes around. Which is just as well - there's a bar adjoining the theatre so you can cool down with something cold and alcoholic, and not even have to walk more than a few metres for the privilege. If that bar is full, during the Fringe there's always a beer garden set up in the courtyard outside which is a gorgeous suntrap during August.

    Edinburgh Festival

    Edinburgh Festival

    4.8(36 reviews)
    0.5 miOld Town, Royal Mile

    Keep an eye out for all sorts of shows by independent performers: comedy, magic, fire, etc.. The…read moreEdinburgh Festival Fringe is a joyous annual event that happens every August. Short street performances are spread throughout the city, particularly centering around the Royal Mile. We were unlucky with the weather in that it was pouring rain the day we visited. And so it was difficult to find shows as well as for the entertainers who had to stall until a large enough crowd had gathered. For the ones that we did stop to watch, they were quite enjoyable.

    I happened to be visiting Edinburgh for a college reunion during the time of the Fringe Festival,…read moreso after meeting up with my friends at the airport, we all headed to the Royal Mile (which I fondly started calling the High Mile on account of its elevation and because so many people were high on life, drugs or alcohol!) to soak in the atmosphere. And what an atmosphere it was! Full of buskers, mimes, musicians, and eclectic acts - from Japanese pop to American tap dancing to an Eastern European theatre group performing a moving play about Jewish children interned at a Nazi concentration camp. It was a warm and sunny afternoon and the crowd was out in force, and I could clearly see the shimmering blue waters of the Firth of Forth in the distance. After stopping by for a wonderful meal of haggis and salmon and IPA at the Whiski Bar and Restaurant (different review for that one), we plunged back into the creativity and madness, enjoying the magical experience that's the Fringe!

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    Edinburgh Festival
    Edinburgh Festival
    Edinburgh Festival

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    Liquid Room

    Liquid Room

    3.4(36 reviews)
    0.7 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    ££

    I've been to the Liquid Rooms more times than I could count, for all sorts of gigs over the years…read more And I still love it. Sure, your feet will always stick to the floor, but that's just part of the charm of this place. It's quite an intimate space, great for smaller acoustic gigs, but also works really well for electronica etc. There's also a balcony, with its own bar, if you fancy a higher view. For anyone from Glasgow, it's like a cross between Oran Mor and the Fruitmarket. And gets just as hot and sweaty as they do!

    Here to see the mighty Brendon Burns during the Fringe, so review based on that, may not be the set…read moreup all year round, buyer beware, etc. etc. Head down Victoria Street, before you get to The Bow Bar (I navigate by pubs, btw) and turn left down an alley, into a courtyard. There's the Liquid Rooms Annexe experience for you! The courtyard part is quite nice, all covered and open air so you can feel continental and drink outside, even with Edinburgh weather attempting to drop every bit of water in the country on you in one go. The bar? I've had way better to be honest. Just cans, bottles and spirits - again, I'm not sure if that's just part of the Fringe set up or not, so it may just be a temporary thing. In any case, at least it's not a shockingly high price to be handed a can, but it is a bit more than you would maybe expect. Venue wise, I liked the Annexe for atmosphere. For a smaller show, this would be ideal - close to the stage (perhaps a little too close to Brendon in some case for the poor folk in the front and second row!) and great sound. It is warm down there though, really warm, so be careful with your hydration in case you take a turn, but other than that, it's fine. It doesn't blow me away, but it does have a little bit of something that not every place does - and that's soul.

    Photos
    Liquid Room - Bar right by the door for the shows

    Bar right by the door for the shows

    Liquid Room - Amanda Palmer

    Amanda Palmer

    Liquid Room

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    King's Theatre - The Three Sisters production

    King's Theatre

    4.2(17 reviews)
    1.2 miTollcross, The Meadows

    Until very recently, I had never actually been to the King's. I'd been to the Playhouse, Festival,…read moreLyceum and Traverse theatres, but not the King's. Time to change that. On Wednesday, I came here to see the new touring production of Dracula, and it was fantastic. The cast, costumes, set and lighting design, down to the special effects all felt like the spectacle of a West End production. It did not feel like a touring production at all, and I can assure that if you catch it on tour, you won't be disappointed. The King's itself is a gorgeous theatre, if not slightly dated. The actual auditorium is beautiful, with a glorious domed ceiling and beautiful ornate box seating areas, but I thought the bar and foyer areas seemed a bit pokey. The theatre is due to close for a major refurbishment in 2021, so hopefully they'll do something about the foyer. The prices for programmes, ice creams, drinks etc are the usual for theatres - slightly overpriced. The in-house programmes are £3.50 which I think is quite a good deal, as the programme for Dracula had a gorgeous design and contained lots of information about the show. I'd imagine that the contents will vary between productions. Ice cream is £3 which is a bit of a rip off to be honest, but it's S Luca so you know you're paying for quality. There is a Scotmid across the street if you want to be cheap. Most theatres tend to have a supermarket chain around the corner, I guess to make trade off anyone who doesn't want to pay extortionate bar prices. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the King's and I can't wait to come back to see some more top notch plays!

    I saw a few shows there and I always like to go back for more, not only because I really like this…read moreold theater inside and out. The interior and exterior are both mystic and spooky in its own way. Being one of the last to leave after a show really lets you explore this place. Walk up and down the stairs and take in the presence of old time past. Apparently the theater was founded around 1850 and pretty much still display ,or seem to, all its original features: boisterous chandeliers, large stair cases, red carpets and curtains, amazing architecture and lustrous statues. It is is also true that the seats are not the most comfortable or that it is not always easy to see the screen with people sitting infront of you or that the downstairs hallways are quite tight and could cause claustrophobic feelings. But this should not be a reason to miss out on a spectacular show only because you are not into old places.

    Photos
    King's Theatre - Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

    Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

    King's Theatre - Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

    Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

    King's Theatre - Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

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    Kings Theatre. Image by www.edinburghphotowalks.com

    Edinburgh Playhouse - theater - Updated May 2026

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