Listings Mon 6 – Sun 12 May 2019
What to see on Edinburgh’s stages!
If you are feeling the lack of Harry Potter on Edinburgh’s stages then the King’s is probably the place to be this week, as Mildred Hubble takes to the stage as The Worst Witch.
Jill Murphy’s tale of the ordinary girl who finds herself in the most extraordinary of places – a school for witches – is getting great notices in Emma Reeves’ ambitious adaptation for the stage. Don’t forget it is an early start – 7pm – so you can still get a decent evening of theatre on a school night.
The Worst Witch. Pic: Manuel Harlan
After the glory of A Play, A Pie and A Pint’s 500th production at the Traverse last week, the 501st arrives in the form of an adaptation of the Edinburgh International First Book Award-winning novel The Origins of Ivor Punch. Well worth a look – if you can get a ticket!
The Traverse also sees the return of the rather brilliant Mark Lockyer, last in Edinburgh with his Living With The Lights On, about his overcoming a mental breakdown. His latest one-hander sees him use one of the steps in that journey as the basis for another multi-charactered one-person show, Keep On Walking Federico.
Elsewhere it is something of a bitty week, with Assembly Roxy leading with rehearsed readings on Monday and Tuesday – first a new play by Jennifer Adam, The House That Melts With The Rain and then the next edition of Page2Stage.
On Saturday there is a real clash, with Rapture Theatre’s tour of Patrick Marber’s splendid play about non-league football, The Red Lion, kicking off at the Brunton and Matthew’ Zadjacs brilliant tale of the impact of war on ordinary people and families, The Tailor of Inverness, arriving on its latest tour at the Studio.
The Playhouse is all one-night stands. And while Noel Gallagher is long sold-out, there are tickets to be had for Ru Paul’s Drag Race (Mon), Seven Drunken Nights, the Story of the Dubliners (Weds), The Bizarre World of Frank Zappa, which sees a hologram Frank join old members of his band, on Thursday and, rather fewer of these available, Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals for three performances on Friday and Saturday.
Listings
Click on the name of the show to go to its ticketing site.
Assembly Roxy
Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU. Phone booking: 0131 623 3030.
The House that Melts With the Rain
Monday 6 May 2019
7.30pm.
Reading of a new play by emerging playwright Jennifer Adam, featuring Kirsty McIntyre and Vivien Reid and directed by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir. A woman refuses to leave her home, despite it visibly disintegrating around her. Book here.
Page2Stage
Tuesday 7 May
7.30pm.
Extracts from four brand new plays read in front of a live audience, with a chance to carry on discussions, meet the team, writers and actors in the comfort of the Roxy Snug Bar. This month’s plays are: Shelf Life by Ann-Marie Draycott & Charity Trimm; Going Home by John McEwan-Whyte; Little Boxes by Martha Keith-Barnett; and Centre of Attention by Jennifer Devers. Book here.
The Brunton
Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA. Phone booking: 0131 665 2240
The Red Lion
Saturday 11 May 2019
7.30pm.
Rapture Theatre with a new tour of Patrick Marber’s hit play about a non-league football side who take on a lad with more potential than they know how to cope with. Starring Emmerdale and Brookside star John McArdle, Brendan Charleson and Harry McMullen. Book here.
King’s Theatre
2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
The Worst Witch
Tue 7 – Sun 12 May 2019
Evenings: 7pm (not Sun); Matinees: Wed 10.30am, Sat 2.30pm, Sun 2pm.
Long before Harry Potter there was Jill Murphy’s Mildred Hubble. An ordinary girl who found herself in an extraordinary place: a school for witches. Now in her final year, accident prone Mildred and her fellow pupils are about to embark on their biggest and most important adventure yet… Book here.
Playhouse
18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA. Phone booking: 0844 871 3014.
RuPaul’s Drag Race – Werq the World Tour
Monday 6 May 2019
Evening: 80pm.
The Official RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour returns with an all new production for 2019! Mission leader Michelle Visage takes voyagers on a journey to save the universe with the help of her intergalactic queens including Aquaria, Kameron Michaels, Asia O’Hara, Kim Chi, Naomi Smalls, Monét X Change and Violet Chachki! Book now.
Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds
Tuesday 7 May 2019
Evening: 7pm
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, together with guest Gaz Coombes, will perform a special all-seated show at the Edinburgh Playhouse this May before heading to the Far East on tour. Sold out.
Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners
Wednesday 8 May 2019
Evening: 7.30pm.
Brings to life the music of Ireland’s favorite sons ‘The Dubliners’. Telling the story of a career spanning 50 years and evoking the spirit of Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Jim McCann, Ciaran Bourke and John Sheahan. This talented cast of musicians and singers bring the music of this iconic group to life. Book now.
The Bizarre World of Frank Zappa
Thursday 9 May 2019 
Evening: 8pm.
See news feature: Zappa ghosts into Playhouse
The Frank Zappa hologram tour has recruited a band of former Mothers for this monumental series of shows. Hours of never-before-seen Zappa performance footage from the early seventies will form the basis of the ‘can’t miss’ live concert and hologram spectacle. Only Scottish tour date. Book now.
Strictly Come Dancing The Professionals 
Friday 10 – Saturday 11 May 2019
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat matinee: 2.30pm.
Direct from BBC One’s award-winning prime time TV show Strictly Come Dancing, this glamorous production will bring together some of the much-loved Strictly Professional dancers as they take to the stage to dazzle with their dance prowess. Book now.
The Studio at Festival Theatre
22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000
The Tailor of Inverness
Saturday 11 May 2019
Evenings 7.30pm
Matthew’ Zadjacs tells of the impact of war on ordinary people and families using his father’s own story as inspiration. A story of a boy who grew up on a farm in Galicia (Eastern Poland, now Western Ukraine) and became a tailor in Inverness, of how a life and an identity can be reconstructed. Book here.
Traverse Theatre
10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED. Phone booking: 0131 228 1404.
PPP: The Origins of Ivor Punch
Tue 7 – Sat 11 May 2019
Lunchtimes Tue – Sat: 1pm; Fri evening: 7pm (Trav 2).
Based on the Edinburgh International First Book Award-winning novel The Letters of Ivor Punch by musician and author Colin MacIntyre (Mull Historical Society). Set in the present day and in the 1860’s on a remote Scottish island (based on the isle of Mull) that is about to give up its secrets, it explores mythology and how it washes up against faith. Book here.
Keep on Walking Federico
Thurs 9 – Sat 11 May 2019
Evening: 7.30pm (Trav 1)
One day, Mark gets a letter. This letter takes him to a sleepy Spanish town. He can’t speak the language and he knows nobody, but he’s not here for fun. He’s here to grapple with the past. Book here.
ENDS
