Five Things to do in Edinburgh: Thursday May 17

Your picks of the city’s nights out.

• THEATRE: Curtains. Edinburgh’s oldest amateur musical society returns to the Royal Lyceum Theatre for the first time since 1935 to present the Scottish première of the Tony Award-winning musical Curtains.

The last Kander and Ebb musical, Curtains opened on Broadway in New York in 2007, and ran for 511 performances. The piece tells the story of a discontented troupe of jobbing Broadway actors relocated to Boston and mounting a production of a new musical, Robbin’ Hood.

The leading lady, fading Hollywood star Jessica Cranshaw is murdered on the opening night and Lieutenant Frank Cioffi of the Boston Police Department is assigned to investigate in this comedy whodunit. Curtains, Royal Lyceum, Grindlay Street, 7.30pm, £14-£20, 0131-248 4848, www.lyceum.org.uk

• FILM: The Dictator (15) Sacha Baron Cohen plays Admiral General Aladeen, tyrannical ruler of the African state of Wadiya, who is hiding the real Bin Laden in one of his palaces. During a visit to ‘the Devil’s nest’ of America to address the UN about his nuclear arsenal, Aladeen is usurped by his brother Tamir (Sir Ben Kingsley) and cast adrift on the streets. Zoey (Anna Faris), the tomboyish manager of a vegan feminist non-profit co-operative, takes pity on Aladeen, who she accepts as an immigrant called Allison Burgers, but sparks of romance are continually extinguished by Aladeen’s bigotry. Eventually, Zoey discovers Aladeen is wanted for war crimes and is horrified by the truth. General release, various cinemas, times and prices

• COMEDY: The Thursday Show: Five acts on a two-hour stand-up showcase. Featuring ace comperes, the best headliners on the circuit, several support acts and a short spot for a newcomer. With Jeff Innocent, Duncan Oakley and Hari Sriskantha. The Stand, York Place, 9pm, £8, 0131-558 7272

• CLUB: Octopussy Bouncy castle-assisted chart, indie and electro fare; one for the students. HMV Picturehouse, Lothian Road, 11pm, £6, 0844-847 1740

• THEATRE: A Play, a Pie & a Pint - Damascus Alleppo A psychiatrist counsels a man he suspects of having a relationship with his missing son in this lunchtime play by an anonymous Syrian writer. Ticket price includes a pie and a drink. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, £12, 1pm, £12, 0131-228 1404