Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh on bringing his new musical home to Edinburgh
UK tour of eagerly-anticipated Trainspotting musical set to kick-off at Edinburgh Playhouse in the autumn
Edinburgh author Irvine Welsh has spoken of his excitement at bringing a new musical adaptation of his debut novel Trainspotting to the Capital later this year.
Trainspotting: The Musical will launch a UK tour at the Edinburgh Playhouse in October, following its world premiere in London's West End in July and marking 30 years since the release of the hit film adaptation.
Written by Irvine Welsh, adapted from his best-selling debut novel, and directed and developed by Caroline Jay Ranger, this is the story of the outsiders, the rebels - a brand-new expectation-defying and seismic British musical, pumping in live and loud defiance across UK stages.
It has now been 33 years since Irvine released the book that would change his life completely, and spawn critically acclaimed stage plays and two blockbuster films. So, why a musical?
He said: “It’s one of these things, I’m still not quite sure. Phil McIntyre, a friend of mine, has been onto me for years to make a musical. I could never see it at all. I was only interested if I could write my own songs for it.
“I couldn’t find a way of doing it, and then I started working with producer Stephen McGuinness, we have a techno act that we do, I suddenly realised when working with him he’s got such a high music IQ.
“I thought we could write songs together to do a musical of Trainspotting that would be in some ways very different from the film, book and stage plays, it would tell the story in an interesting, exciting and dynamic way.
“I’ve always loved musicals, I went to see Oliver about eight times in Blackpool when I was a kid. The darker musicals that deal with darker themes, like Rent and West Side Story, you can actually do a lot with a musical and make something that’s very dark and questioning but also at the same time very upbeat and celebratory so I wanted to combine both those elements.
“It’s massively exceeded my expectations, working with CJ (Caroline Jay Ranger) has really helped us develop it in terms of musical theatre. We’ve been working with some brilliant people on the songs.
“It’s just been really exciting, we have been in the studio recording songs and we’ve started rehearsals before we go into the theatre in the West End.
.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&width=640&quality=65)
“We have had the bulk of the cast for a while now. The talent is just absolutely off the scale, that’s been the most mind-blowing thing, working with all these amazing young actors coming through. I guarantee that there’s people there that will be household names, they are just so good.
“They have to sing and dance as well as act, and do it to such a really high standard, it’s quite incredible that so many people can do all that stuff. I can’t sing a note and I can only dance when I’ve had a few!”
Cult heroes of youth culture; Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud, Tommy, and Kelly are back for this musical, alongside an ensemble cast and a live band. Featuring some of the electrifying tracks from the film that defined a generation, together with catchy, confrontational and celebratory original songs
A prolific story-teller for four decades, with eleven novels and four collections of short stories, Irvine admitted it’s taken him a bit longer to crack writing songs.
He said: “I’ve been writing songs as long as I’ve been writing stories basically, I’ve just never really got anywhere with them, I’m not a great musician. Technology has opened it up for me, and hooking up with Stephen has been the game changer for me really.
“I couldn’t have done it without him, we just work so quickly and efficiently together, it’s just great fun, we really enjoy our work.
“We can’t licence all the tracks from the film, we tried to get as many as we can, but if a licence is tied up there is not a lot you can do. We have got some old favourites, but obviously they are getting a whole new treatment.
“In some ways, even though you’ve got the familiarity of the old, there’s the excitement of the new as well. We didn’t want to do just a play with music stuck on, for nostalgia, we want the music to tell the story and drive the whole thing forward.
“This is a proper musical. A properly integrated piece, where the characters tell the story with their own words, singing their own songs.
“We started working on the tunes four years ago. The songs are great. We’ve had a lot of read throughs and trials and it’s worked out pretty good that it’s the 30th anniversary of the film, so there’s interest in it again as there should be.
“We’re going to do our own album of the songs, working with Lisa Moorish, Louise Marshall, Bobby Gillespie and Kevin Rowland, some really great singers covering these songs, so we’re very excited about that.
“I’m really pleased with it, I’m just delighted to be part of the whole thing.”
With Trainspotting: The Musical set to begin its UK tour at Edinburgh Playhouse in October, before finishing there in March next year, we asked the author what he loves most about the city he still calls home.
He said: “My favourite thing about Edinburgh is Leith. When I get the train home and get off at Waverley Station you just get a vibe that you’re home. It’s just your friends and family being here, it’s always been my home and always will be.
“I am in London more than Edinburgh, and I love London, but I just feel more at home in Edinburgh than anywhere else.
“Leith Theatre got a modernisation grant of £5 million, so I’d love to see this musical put on there in the future, given it was written round the corner from there. But it’s great it’s going to be on at the Playhouse, which is nearly Leith.”
And how does the famous Hibs supporter feel about city rivals Hearts potentially winning the league this season?
He said: “You can’t be mean spirited about the whole thing. It’s not my place to pass comment. I’ve got friends and family who are big Hearts supporters, so even though I hate the idea of them winning the league, I’m sort of delighted for them as well.
“We just need to bear it graciously, Hibs are always going to be the greatest institution in Scotland and nothing can really change that.”
The UK tour of Trainspotting: The Musical begins at Edinburgh Playhouse from October 19-24 and returns from March 22-27, 2027 where the tour will culminate. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, May 13.