Edinburgh: A show for every month of 2018

JANUARY

Miss Saigon, Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 17 January-17 February

STARRING Red Concepcion as The Engineer, Sooha Kim as Kim, and Ashley Gilmour as Chris, Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical flies into the Festival Theatre.

Bananarama - back together again - will play Edinburgh Castle in 2018

A recent smash hit in the West End and currently playing on Broadway, this epic production boasts a company of 60... and life-size helicopter.

FEBRUARY

The Belles Stratagem, Royal Lyceum, Grindlay Street, 15 February-10 March

TONY Cownie’s adaptation transposes this restoration comedy from London to Georgian Edinburgh, where the elegant New Town is springing up all around, and the newly opened Assembly Rooms are the centre of social life and romantic intrigue.

MARCH

The Case of the Frightened Lady, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, 26-31 March

AN all-star TV cast including Gray O’Brien, Rula Lenska, Denis Lill and Ben Nealon star in the latest crime thriller from The Agatha Christie Company.

When Inspector Tanner is called in to investigate a ruthless murder at Mark’s Priory, he quickly discovers that nothing is quite as it seems.

APRIL

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, 10-14 April

PHIL Daniels, star of Quadrophenia, Scum and EastEnders, adds another iconic role to his CV when he comes to town in this twisted tale of nerve-jangling horror, adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Gothic thriller.

During one of his audacious experiments, Dr Jekyll unleashes an alternative personality of pure evil...

MAY

Sunshine On Leith, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, 22-26 May

THE essentially ‘Edinburgh’ musical returns home for the first time since 2010 in a brand new production.

Follow the highs and lows of Ally and his friend Davy as they return home to Leith from the army.

With an ever-green score by The Proclaimers, expect favourites like I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), Sunshine on Leith, Letter From America, and I’m On My Way.

JUNE

Summer Holiday, The Playhouse, Greenside Place, 19-23 June

ONE of the best loved feel-good musicals returns with a sing-a-long score that’s sure to have them dancing in the aisles.

Based on the 1963 movie in which Cliff Richard and the Shadows took off on a joyous jaunt across Europe in a Routemaster bus, the hit-filled musical includes classics such as In the Country, Summer Holiday, Travellin’ Light, Bachelor Boy, Move It, Living Doll, The Young Ones and On the Beach.

JULY

Bananarama, Castle Esplanade, 20 July

THE most iconic girl band of the Eighties come to the Castle Esplanade as part of the 2018 Castle Concert Series.

Original group members Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward are set to play their first ever outdoor gig, here in the Capital.

Other Castle concerts in July include Il Divo on 13 July and Del Amitri on 21 July.

AUGUST

Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 3-27 August

THE biggest arts festival in the world brings more than 3000 shows a day, over a four week period, to the city, ensuring that whether it’s comedy, drama or music, there’s something for everyone.

SEPTEMBER

Benidorm, The Playhouse, Greenside Place, 17-22 September

THE stars of the hit TV comedy drama are live on stage for the first time. Join Mateo, Jacqueline, Joyce Temple-Savage, Liam Sam and Blo’ and Go’s Kenneth, in an all new set of Alicante escapades by Derren Litten.

OCTOBER

Madagascar – A Musical Adventure, The Playhouse, Greenside Place, 2-6 October

ONE for the kids. Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, the hilarious, plotting penguins as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure follows the crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.

NOVEMBER

Ross Noble: El Hablador, Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, 3 November

THE Geordie funnyman returns to dance around the stage spinning out all the nonsense in his head into a hilarious stand up show.

At some point, he may wander into a shadowy part of the stage and look a bit shadowy... One night only.

DECEMBER

Kinky Boots, The Playhouse, Greenside Place, 10 December-5 January 2019

WINNER of every major Best Musical award, including the 2016 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, Kinky Boots comes to the Capital for the first time in December.

With songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and a book by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein, Kinky Boots is the hilarious tale of a Northampton show maker faced with closure until a novel plan is hatched to save the day.