Capital Theatres’ new season brings stars of stage and screen, groundbreaking physical theatre and exceptional work for families to the Festival Theatre and Studio in Edinburgh, including Carrie Hope Fletcher, Alex Horne, A Chorus Line and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell.
The Festival Theatre features a star-studded line-up with exclusive new productions from household names. Following the huge success of her sold-out appearance in 2023, Carrie Hope Fletcher returns with Love Letters (15 October) – a personal exploration of all forms of love showcased through a selection of stunning musical theatre classics. Alex Horne, creator and co-host of Channel 4’s Taskmaster, appears alongside five outstanding musicians in his comedy band The Horne Section for their Hit Show (4 November) including songs, enthusiastic dancing and lots of laughs. The real Carrie Bradshaw arrives in Edinburgh with the very first UK tour of Candace Bushnell’s acclaimed one-woman show True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex and the City (10 February).
The Festival Theatre continues to host the very best in contemporary dance, musicals and theatre. A musical masterpiece that revolutionised Broadway, A Chorus Line (24 – 28 September) celebrates the lives of theatre’s unsung heroes with sensational choreography, heart-wrenching personal stories and musical theatre’s most unforgettable finale. Celebrated QDance Company’s exuberant Re:INCARNATION (18 – 19 October) is an ode to the richness of Nigerian culture, drawing on Afrobeats, jazz, soul, funk and traditional African music. After a high-flying performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2022, Edinburgh oldest amateur musical theatre society, Southern Light, returns with Meredith William’s Broadway hit The Music Man (21 – 25 May).
There’s plenty to keep younger audience members entertained, including a playful retelling of Tortoise & the Hare from Northern Ballet specially designed to introduce children to live ballet and music. Barrowland Ballet’s Poggle (24 February) is a funny dance theatre show which takes toddlers and young children on a forest adventure with live music and an interactive set. Starcatchers and Dirliebane Theatre Company present Laaaunch! Work in Progress (2 March), an immersive, playful experience created for babies from birth to 12 months old.
The Studio hosts performances from the 17th edition of Manipulate Festival, Edinburgh’s international festival of animated film, puppetry and visual theatre which runs 1 – 11 February. Brand-new Scottish theatre is represented by The Collie’s Shed (10 May) by playwright Shelley Middler, using real stories and experiences to highlight the trials and tribulations still faced in mining and working-class communities.
The countdown is already on for Christmas 2024 and the fairy godmother of all pantos, Cinderella (23 November – 31 December 2024). Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young return in this spectacular family show, featuring laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.
These newly announced shows join what is already a stellar season, including Scottish Ballet’s new production of Cinders!, the only Scottish dates for the smash-hit Hamilton (28 Feb – 27 April), Carlos Acosta’s On Before (16 – 17 Feb), the premiere of Capital Theatres and Raw Material’s co-production James V: Katherine (5 – 20 April), Matthew Bourne’s magical dance production of Edward Scissorhands (14 – 18 May) the first ever UK tour of The Life of Pi (25 – 29 June) and Rambert’s Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby (1 – 5 October).
Selected performances are part of Capital Theatre’s newly launched 25 & Under scheme, which allows people aged 25 and younger to book £10 tickets online on the day of the performances. Further details are available here.
Capital Theatres ensures its programme is accessible to everyone, with a wide-ranging engagement programme supporting all aspects of the new season. This includes schools' matinees, relaxed performances, touch tours, post-show talks, and British Sign Language, audio described and captioned performances. Copies of the brochure are also provided in Braille, large print or on an audio CD on request.
Dementia friendly programming is a core part of Capital Theatres’ ethos, from monthly music making sessions for people living with dementia and their carers, to regular performances from Edinburgh’s dementia inclusive Forget Me Notes choir, and a quarterly magazine DementiArts, which features a comprehensive calendar of dementia friendly activities across Edinburgh and the Lothians. The full programme of events is available here.
Capital Theatres also supports independent theatre makers and producers based in Edinburgh and Lothians year-round through its new programme Open@TheStudio. From networking events to workshops with visiting companies, and research and development residencies, Open@TheStudio provides practical support and opportunities. Information about upcoming events and residency opportunities is available here.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said:
“From the singular sensation of A Chorus Line, to the exuberance of QDance Company’s Re:INCARNATION, to star-studded names like Carrie Hope Fletcher and Alex Horne, this new programme truly offers something for everyone. We also have a wealth of excellent new shows to offer our youngest audience, including Northern Ballet’s wonderful Tortoise and the Hare and Barrowland Ballet’s Poggle, which are sure to be the perfect introduction for a new generation of theatre lovers. I am immensely excited that the global sensation that is Hamilton will grace the Festival Theatre stage in just three months, especially given its deep roots in Scottish history. I am also thrilled that we shall be going to the ball in 2024, with our Cinderella pantomime returning to the Festival Theatre while the renovation of our beloved King’s Theatre continues.”
Capital Theatre’s new season is available for priority booking (excluding the 2024 pantomime) for Friends of Capital Theatres exclusively from 24 November at 11am, with general public sale opening on 1 December. The 2024 pantomime, Cinderella, is available for priority booking from 24 November at 11am, with group booking reservations of 11+ from 28 November and general public booking opening on 18 December.
Full details of all shows can be found online at www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on, or by viewing the brochure here.
CAPITAL THEATRES
Capital Theatres presents world-class shows to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.
The three venues we manage include two of Scotland’s largest, oldest, and most respected theatres: Festival Theatre (1,915 seats), King’s Theatre (1,100 seats, currently closed for a major redevelopment until Summer 2025) and The Studio (155 seats).
Together they host over 700 performances each year with a broad and inclusive programme featuring the very best in drama, dance, musical theatre, family shows, live music, comedy, and pantomime.
We are a receiving house which means we work with producers across the UK to programme their work. We also commission and co-produce a select number of productions of our own each year. Much of our programme is exclusive to our venues in Scotland, providing the only opportunity for audiences to see the biggest shows touring north of the border, the best in international contemporary dance and the latest productions from leading local and national companies. We are also the home of Edinburgh’s largest community companies, providing them with a platform each year to share their work.
As Scotland’s largest theatre charity, we support access to the arts for everyone and have an extensive Creative Engagement programme of talks, workshops and events to introduce and develop participation and interest in the heritage of our buildings and all areas of live performance. We have an extensive artist development programme; Open@TheStudio and have just won the UK Theatre 2023 Award for Excellence in Inclusivity for our work with people living with Dementia.