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Festival Theatre Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Festival Theatre is a performing arts venue used primarily for performances of opera and ballet, large-scale musical events, and touring groups.

Festival Theatre Edinburgh

About Festival Theatre Edinburgh

13/29 Nicolson Street , Edinburgh South EH8 9FT
01315296000
Festival Theatre Edinburgh Website
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If you like a little added sparkle with your live entertainment then the prestigious Festival Theatre is the place for you. Built in 1994, the impressive glass facade imposes a sense of occasion as you enter the sleek and contemporary foyer spaces. Enjoy a drink in our spacious bars and take in the inspiring views across to Arthur's Seat - but don't let the modern entrance fool you - the traditional 1915-seat auditorium, with its sumptuous decor and lavish fittings, has all the grandeur and splendour you need for a truly special theatrical experience.

Upcoming Events at Festival Theatre Edinburgh

Mary, Queen of Scots

16th October 2025 - 18th October 2025

With bold choreography, new music, striking sets and costumes, the iconic story of Mary, Queen of Scots is brought to the Festival Theatre Edinburgh by Scottish Ballet!

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To Kill A Mockingbird

21st October 2025 - 25th October 2025

Aaron Sorkin's riveting stage adaptation of Harper Lee's thrilling courtroom drama To Kill A Mockingbird is coming to the Festival Theatre in October!

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Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath - The Ballet

30th October 2025 - 1st November 2025

After its successful world premiere and UK tour in 2023, Black Sabbath – The Ballet returns for an international tour in 2025 and brings it to the Festival Theatre Edinburgh. 

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Edinburgh Gang Show

4th November 2025 - 8th November 2025

The Edinburgh Gang Show returns to the Festival Theatre in November 2025 for another brilliant week of making memories and bringing joy to Edinburgh!

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Uncanny Live: Fear of the Dark

10th November 2025

Danny Robins and his team of experts are back with Uncanny: Fear Of The Dark featuring even more terrifying real-life stories and witness accounts that will have you gripped from the very beginning!

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La bohème

14th November 2025 - 22nd November 2025

Puccini's La bohème stands as one of the world's most celebrated and frequently performed operas. Don't miss it at the Festival Theatre in November!

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Scottish Opera - L’heure espagnole & The Bear

15th November 2025

Scottish Opera presents L'heure espagnole & The Bear a new double bill of two comedies of infidelity directed by Jacopo Spirei!

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Scottish Ballet: The Snow Queen

27th November 2025 - 7th December 2025

Scottish Ballet’s spectacular and much-loved production of The Snow Queen returns to the Festival Theatre stage in 2025!

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Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk

13th December 2025 - 11th January 2026

Join Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young for the GIANT of a pantomime we've all BEAN waiting for!

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Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker In Havana

3rd February 2026 - 4th February 2026

A Cuban take on the favourite festive classic, Carlos Acosta’s brand-new production Nutcracker in Havana explodes onto the Festival Theatre stage on 3rd & 4th February!

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The Story of Soul

5th February 2026

Get your tickets now, for the must-see show of the year when The Story Of Soul returns to the Festival Theatre on 5th February!

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Banff Mountain Film Festival

7th February 2026

Experience an extraordinary collection of short films when the Banff Mountain Film Festival returns to the Festival Theatre on Saturday 7th February!

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Chris Ramsey - Here Man

8th February 2026

Following overwhelming demand (mainly from his wife Rosie who is desperate to get him out of the house), Chris Ramsey will be back on the road in 2026 with a brand-new stand-up show!

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Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

10th February 2026 - 15th February 2026

The Cornley Amateur Drama Society are back with tidings of chaos and joy, ready to tackle the Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol.

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The Great Wave

19th February 2026 - 21st February 2026

The world premiere of Dai Fujikura’s The Great Wave is an extravagant story about artist Katsushika Hokusai and his famous woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

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We Will Rock You

25th February 2026 - 28th February 2026

The Bohemians are back to perform the worldwide smash hit musical, We Will Rock You by Queen and Ben Elton. The first adult amateur company in Edinburgh to perform it.

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Inspector Morse - House of Ghosts

3rd March 2026 - 7th March 2026

Starring Tom Chambers as Inspector Morse, this original story written for the stage is a must-see for fans of compelling detective stories and thrilling mysteries.

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Serena Terry: Therapy

8th March 2026

Serena Terry, creator of online sensation Mammy Banter, brings her new show Therapy to Edinburgh's Festival Theatre on Sunday 8th March!

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Horrible Histories - The Concert

13th March 2026 - 15th March 2026

For the very first time, your favourite songs and characters from the BAFTA Award-winning CBBC TV series HORRIBLE HISTORIES will be appearing live (and dead) on stage at the Festival Theatre!

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The Boy at the Back of the Class

18th March 2026 - 21st March 2026

After delighting audiences across the country, the smash-hit, joyful play based on the best-selling novel is back with a celebration of friendship kindness and compassion.

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The Eternal Shame of Sue Perkins

22nd March 2026

In her first live show in over a decade, Sue Perkins delivers a hilarious treatise on stigma, humiliation, and misunderstanding.

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Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile

24th March 2026 - 28th March 2026

A brand-new adaptation of the globally celebrated Agatha Christie story Death on the Nile is heading out on a nationwide tour, don't miss it at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh in March!

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The High Life

7th April 2026 - 11th April 2026

After a 30-year delay in the departure lounge, The High Life returns with a new musical spectacular to the Festival Theatre Edinburgh featuring all four original cast members!

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Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes

14th April 2026 - 18th April 2026

An intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences, Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes will dazzle your senses and break your heart when it comes to the Festival Theatre Edinburgh!

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The Battle - CANCELLED

21st April 2026 - 25th April 2026

The Festival Theatre in Edinburgh is thrilled to announce The Battle, a new comedy based (mostly) on real events co-presented by Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep, will arrive at the venue in April 2026.

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Star Struck

7th May 2026 - 9th May 2026

Prepare to be transported into a glamorous world where jazz meets ballet, and the stars align when Scottish Ballet bring Starstruck to the Festival Theatre in May!

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Lost in Music - One Night In the Disco

17th May 2026

Step back into the era of glitter balls and groove – Lost in Music is back with a brand-new, high-energy show that’s bigger, bolder, and more dazzling than ever!

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Scottish Opera: The Marriage of Figaro

Selected dates between 29th May 2026 - 31st May 2026

Sir Thomas Allen revives his much-loved production of Mozart’s unstoppable masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro, at Festival Theatre in May.

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Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

16th June 2026 - 17th June 2026

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo returns to the Festival Theatre on 16th & 17th June!

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Simon and Garfunkel Through the Years

20th June 2026

Critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest tribute shows, Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years continues to delight audiences across the globe.

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SIX the Musical

15th September 2026 - 26th September 2026

Reigning on Broadway and in the West End, the international smash hit musical SIX is coming to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre in September 2026!

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More Theatres in Edinburgh

Leith Theatre

28-30 Ferry Road, Leith EH6 4AE

Leith Theatre is on its way to once again becoming a versatile and lively creative hub for Leith.

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granton:hub

Madelvic House Granton Park Avenue, Edinburgh North EH5 1HS

granton:hub's aim is to re-purpose the beautiful and historic Madelvic House as a thriving creative and cultural centre, providing benefits to both the local and wider community.

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North Edinburgh Arts

15a Pennywell Road, Edinburgh North EH4 4TZ

North Edinburgh Arts provides opportunities for individual and community development through contact with the professional arts, particularly for Forth ward residents.

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Can You Catch the Killer

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The Pleasance Edinburgh

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Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre

Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre Eastgate, Peebles EH45 8AD

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Edinburgh International Conference Centre

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Situated at the heart of Scotland's elegant and historic capital city, the EICC is one of the world's outstanding venues for conferences, conventions and exhibitions.

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Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre

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Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre (formerly George Square Lecture Theatre) is a stand-alone theatre that can seat 481 delegates and features a large reception area with space for catering or bar set up.

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Lyra

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Saint Stephens Theatre Stockbridge

105 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge and Canonmills EH3 5AB

Formerly St Stephen's Church, the building dates back to the 1820s.

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Penicuik Town Hall

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All Theatres listings in Edinburgh

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Sponsored Links

Hilton Glasgow
Murrayfield Experience
Murrayfield Experience
Fayre Play
Children's Classic Concerts
Murrayfield Experience
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Escape The Past
Murrayfield Experience
Renfrewshire Council
Wonder & Co
Edinburgh Street Historians
Hilton Glasgow
Edinburgh Dungeon

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