King's Theatre

King's Theatre
2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ

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King's Theatre

Generations of Edinburgh residents have fond memories of being taken to the lavish annual pantomime that still packs the audiences in, just as it did in the celebrated days of Stanley Baxter, Rikki Fulton and Jimmy Logan. Today, the 1350-seat venue in Tollcross is run by the Festival City Theatres Trust, which is also responsible for the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. It is an important venue for the Edinburgh International Festival's drama programme and a year-round receiving house for good quality touring theatre productions, many of them – such as Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot starring Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan – en route to the West End. Built in 1906 by theatre entrepreneur Robert C Buchanan as a rival to the Royal Lyceum and later taken into the Howard and Wyndham chain, it is a traditional theatre, rich in baroque period details, and rather more comfortable than the days when somehow another 1100 people managed to squeeze into the stalls, grand circle and upper circle.

The King's Theatre on Leven Street was built in 1905 and opened in 1906. It houses visits by major touring drama productions as well as being home to Edinburgh's annual pantomime.

For information about what’s on or how to book tickets, visit www.eft.co.uk.

Text supplied by third party.

Event times

There are 16 events at this location

Sorted by title / date & time

American Lulu

Seductress, victim, manipulator: Lulu lives off men as both tortured and torturer, purveyor of ecstasy and angel of death. Caught up in greedy games and seedy schemes, and surrounded by lovers driven to despair, Lulu makes an inexorable rise to the highest levels of power, money and fame. But her descent is just as swift.

Fri 30 Aug

£15–£35 / 0131 473 2000

Sat 31 Aug

£15–£35 / 0131 473 2000

An Evening with Ray Mears

The amiable bushcraft expert shares stories from his three decades roughing it in the bush.

Sun 29 Sep

£23–£25.50 / 0131 529 6000

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story

Celebrate the man and the music as the popular touring production of the rock musical rolls into town again.

Mon 10 Feb 2014

£14–£27.50 (premium seats £29.50) / 0131 529 6000

Tue 11 Feb 2014

£14–£27.50 (premium seats £29.50) / 0131 529 6000

Wed 12 Feb 2014

…and 3 more dates until 15 Feb 2014

Dinosaur Zoo

Dinosaurs aren't extinct! They're just hiding out on the other side of the world. Erth's Dinosaur Zoo brings its Jurassic creations to Scotland with an opportunity for children to get right up close.

Fri 27 Sep

£13.50 (danger seats £16) / 0131 529 6000

Sat 28 Sep

£13.50 (danger seats £16) / 0131 529 6000

Sun 29 Sep

£13.50 (danger seats £16) / 0131 529 6000

Edinburgh Gang Show

A host of Edinburgh's Scouts and Guides join together in this annual event featuring music, comedy and dance.

Tue 19 Nov

£9–£16.50 / 0131 529 6000

Wed 20 Nov

£9–£16.50 / 0131 529 6000

Thu 21 Nov

£9–£16.50 / 0131 529 6000

…and 2 more dates until 23 Nov

Embers

‘silence in the house, not a sound, only the fire, no flames now, embers. Embers.’ Henry sits on a beach, remembering and imagining stories and incidents from his life, tormented by his father’s suicide, his own dysfunctional family history and his failure as a writer. Hallucinations and reality merge as he attempts to…

Sat 24 Aug

£10–£20 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Beckett at the Festival.

Sun 25 Aug

£10–£20 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Beckett at the Festival.

The Gruffalo's Child

Tall Stories present Julia Donaldson's Gruffalo sequel, following the adventure's of his child as she sneaks out in the night to see if the Big Bad Mouse really does exist.

Histoire d'amour

European Premiere: An English teacher sees a woman on the underground and decides she will become his wife and the mother of his children. He takes over her life and when she tries to escape, all doors close before her. Once re-captured he abuses her again, over and over. Histoire d’amour explores a world where guilt and…

Thu 15 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Edinburgh International Festival.

Fri 16 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Edinburgh International Festival.

Sat 17 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Edinburgh International Festival.

James and the Giant Peach

Birmingham Stage Company explore the witty and wonderful world of Roald Dahl's insect-laden tale of young James and his round-the-world adventures aboard the enormous piece of fruit.

Tue 17 Sep

£10.50–£14.50 / 0131 529 6000

…and 2 more dates until 21 Sep

Madame Freedom

European Premiere: A two-dimensional, cinematic black-and-white woman of yesteryear struggles to break free of the social, economic and political straitjacket of the time, while a three-dimensional woman of here and now struggles to what … ? Break free … ? Of what … ? When the unfulfilled soul of a fictional woman surges…

Tue 20 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Edinburgh International Festival.

Wed 21 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Edinburgh International Festival.

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Mansfield Park

New adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel. Written by Tim Luscombe and directed by Colin Blumenau.

Tue 5 Nov

£14–£29.50 / 0131 529 6000

Wed 6 Nov

Thu 7 Nov

£14–£29.50 / 0131 529 6000

Sat 9 Nov

Metamorphosis

World Premiere: Travelling salesman and sole breadwinner for his family, Gregor Samsa awakes one day to discover that he has been transformed into a giant insect. Unable to communicate and shocking to anyone who sees him, he is forced into a solitary existence confined to his room. As he becomes insufferable to himself…

Sat 10 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Sun 11 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Mon 12 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

A Passionate Woman

To escape her man troubles – revolving around her husband, her son and a lost love – Betty goes up, up and away (to the attic, that is). A comedy by writer and director Kay Mellor.

Mon 7 Oct

£14–£27.50 (premium seats £29.50) / 0131 529 6000

Tue 8 Oct

£14–£27.50 (premium seats £29.50) / 0131 529 6000

Wed 9 Oct

£14–£27.50 (premium seats £29.50) / 0131 529 6000

…and 3 more dates until 12 Oct

Peppa Pig's Big Splash

All singing, all dancing puppet show with wee Peppa Pig and pals as they enjoy the rain and muddy puddles and try to fix the leaking nursery roof.

Peter Pan

Once again, good old Grant Stott, Andy Gray and Allan Stewart take to the stage for a festive runaround. This year, Peter Pan gets their irreverent treatment.

Sat 30 Nov

0131 529 6000

Sun 1 Dec

0131 529 6000

Tue 3 Dec

0131 529 6000

…and 40 more dates until 19 Jan 2014
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To Sir, With Love

Ayub Khan-Din (author of East Is East) presents his adaptation of the 1967 drama starring Sidney Poitier which tells the tale of a teacher trying to keep control over his rowdy pupils.

Tue 29 Oct

£14–£29.50 / 0131 529 6000

Wed 30 Oct

Fri 1 Nov

£14–£29.50 / 0131 529 6000

Sat 2 Nov

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Reviews & features

Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates

4 Dec 20094 stars

‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s panto tiiiime!’ The sense of excitement in the theatre is palpable long before the curtain rises. And no wonder: the dream team that brought us last year’s 3D thriller, Aladdin is about to spirit us off to…

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