What’s on 11-13 October

Your guide to Entertainment in the city.

THEATRE

A PLAY, A PIE & A PINT: Bit of a Ronseal job here (doing exactly what it says on the tin, and so on). New work from UK playwrights. Traverse, Cambridge Street, 1pm, £12, 0131 228 1404

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS GOT HER HEAD CHOPPED OFF: See left Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 7.45pm, £14.50–£29, 0131-248 4848

Comedy

ELECTRIC TALES: Comedic anecdotes in a relaxed atmosphere with Sian Bevan and Susan Morrison. The Stand, York Place, 8.30pm, £5 (£4), 0131-558 7272

Music

THE SIX O’CLOCK AFTER WORK BLUES: Live acoustic blues from John Hurt. The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 6pm, free, 0131-220 4298

GREAT JAZZ JAM SESSION: A night of jazz during which you just never know who is going to drop in to perform with the house trio. The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 8pm, £2 (£1), 0131-220 4298

OUT OF THE BEDROOM: Edinburgh’s original open-mic night. Turn up and put your name down - only rule is no covers. Montague Bar, Montague Street, 7.30pm, free, no tel.

INDIA ALBA: Bringing together Indian and Scottish musicians, likely to produce stunning results. Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, 7.30pm, £14.25, 0131-665 2240

CHAPEL CLUB: Reverb-drenched indie from London fivepiece. Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, 7pm, £11, 0131-220 6176

PINK MARTINI: Featuring the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, music from romantic Hollywood movies of the 40s and 50s. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 7.30pm, from £19.50, 0131 228 1155

Club

ANTICS: Rock, emo, punk and metal dispatches from Edinburgh’s alt.scene. The Hive, Niddry Street, 11pm, free, 0131-556 0444

SOUL JAM HOT: Hot and heavy funk and soul classics, played almost exclusively on 7” vinyl. Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate, 11pm, free, 0131 225 1757

WEDNESDAY

THEATRE

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS GOT HER HEAD CHOPPED OFF. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 2.30pm, 7.45pm, £14.50–£29, 0131-248 4848

A PLAY, A PIE & A PINT. Traverse, Cambridge Street, 1pm, £12, 0131 228 1404

THE SALON PROJECT. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 6pm, £25, 0131 228 1404

comedy

MELTING POT: Audience-led comedy sketch show. The Stand, York Place, 8.30pm, £5 (£4), 0131-558 7272

Music

NOVA SCOTIA JAZZ BAND: More quality music from the Jazz Bar’s seemingly endless ensemble of musos. Trombonist Roy Williams guests. Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 8pm, £8 (£6), 0131-220 4298

MUNICH: Brighton quintet with some anthemic indie music. Electric Circus, Market Street, 7pm, £6, 0131-226 4224

Clubs

HEADLOCK: Featuring one of the UK’s finest underground DJs, Pearson Sound (Night Slugs, Swamp 81, Hemlock), with a special guest. Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, 10pm, £9, 0131-220 6176

HEARD IT THROUGH THE BASSLINE: Quality-over-quantity club night, welcoming UK bass music and techno producer Blawan. The Caves, Cowgate, 11pm, £5 (£4), 0131 557 8989

HUSH: Retro soundtrack for midweek partyheads. Electric Circus, Market Street, 10pm-1am, free, 0131-226 4224

INDIGO: Cult night of indie and alternative sounds. Liquid Room, Victoria Street, 10pm-3am, £3 (£1), 0131 225 2564

JUNGLEDUB: Dub, dubstep, and jungle. Bongo Club, Holyrood Road, 11pm, free, 0131-558 8844

BANGERS & MASH: Chart and cheese. The Hive, Niddry Street, 10pm, £1 (£3 after 11pm), 0131-556 0444

WITNESS: UK garage, house and bass music night with residents Blackwax and guest Dubbel Dutch. Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate, 11pm, free, 0131 225 17

THURSDAY

THEATRE

A Play, a Pie & a Pint. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 1pm, £12, 0131-228 1404

Para Handy: The captain of The Vital Spark and his ramshackle crew have become some of Scotland’s best-loved characters since they first appeared in 1906. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 7.30pm, £16.50–£27.50 (£13.50–£24.50), 0131-529 6000

The Elephant Man: Edinburgh University Theatre Company performs the story of John Merrick. Bedlam Theatre, Bristo Place, 7.30pm, £5 (£4.50), 0131-225 9893

Mary, Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off: See left. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 7.45pm, £14.50–£29, 0131-248 4848

Apocalypse: Highly visual, bitingly original, Apocalypse combines satire, music, song and grotesquery in an anarchic evening of spectacular mayhem. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 8pm, £15–£17 (£6–£13), 0131-228 1404

Comedy

THE THURSDAY SHOW: Five acts on a two-hour stand-up showcase and a short spot for a newcomer. The Stand, York Place, 9pm, £8, 0131-558 7272

Music

HENRY IBBS: Electro-acoustic music (with a dash of Scouse) from well-known singer-songwriter Ibbs and friends. The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 6pm, free, 0131-220 4298

Jazz Bar Quartet: House four-piece perform do regular turn. The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 8pm, £4 (£3), 0131-220 4298

Live Music Now: Arunda: Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers My love is like a Red, Red Rose by Burns, as well as Mozart’s Divertissement No 2 and Cinq Pieces en Trio by Ibert. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 6pm, free, 0131-624 6200

New Model Army: Headline set from cult band formed in 1980. Liquid Room, Victoria Street, 7pm, £18.50, 0131-225 2564

Black Umfolosi: Acclaimed performing arts group specialising in harmonic acappella singing and African dance. Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 7pm, £16, 0131-668 2019

Bwani Junction, Miniature Dinosaurs and Blank Canvas: Bands hand-picked by BBC Radio Scotland’s Vic Galloway. Electric Circus, Market Street, 7pm, £5 (£3), 0131-668 2019

SCO: Mullova Plays Beethoven: It is easy to see why Mullova has become one of the biggest stars of the violin worldwide. Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 7.30pm, £9.50–£28, 0131-228 1155

David Macgregor and Knox & Ion: David MacGregor is a virtuoso solo finger style guitarist from Scotland. Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street, 8pm, £5, 0131-556 7060