What's On in Edinburgh?

Keep up to date with what’s on in Edinburgh, with this one stop, regularly updated guide to the Edinburgh scene. The shows, the festivals, the places to be, they’re all here, ready for you to explore.

December 2011

  • Royal Scottish Academy - Open Art Exhibition (12 November - 18 December 2011) - Popular open exhibition with affordable works through the Open Art scheme, with special perks for Apex Hotels guests - Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL - www.royalscottishacademy.org
  • Edinburgh's Christmas (24 November 2011 - 4 January 2012) - Edinburgh's city centre Christmas markets and activities (see November, above) - www.edinburghschristmas.com
  • We Will Rock You (29 November – 7 December 2011) – The Queen musical comes to the Playhouse (see November, above) – Edinburgh Playhouse, 8–22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA - www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk
  • Scottish National Portrait Gallery reopens (1 December 2011) - This much loved national gallery reopens after closing for a major renovation in 2009. The new look Portrait of a Nation will open up more of this stunning building and add new facilities such as a new Photography Gallery and Learning Centre - Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD - www.nationalgalleries.org/portraitgallery
  • Christmas Carols in the Great Hall (11 December 2011) – A festive highlight at Edinburgh's most famed historic attraction, this afternoon of Christmas Carols takes place with the breathaking backdrop of Edinburgh Castle's Great Hall – Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG - www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
  • Messiah (20 December 2011) - Handel's popular oratorio resonates deeply with people at this time of year, regardless of beliefs and often musical taste. Performed by the world-renowned Dundedin Consort - Queens Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG - www.thequeenshall.net
  • The King and I (14 December 2011 – 7 January 2012) – This pantomime classic is brought to Edinburgh Festival Theatre and features all the characters we've grown so fond of in previous screen and stage versions. The Rodgers and Hammerstein score is riddled with famous songs and this production is said to be a spectacle on an awesome scale. Suitable for the whole family – Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 2 Leven Street, EH3 9LQ - www.fctt.org.uk
  • Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo (around 18 December 2011 onwards) - Scotland's first breeding pair of giant pandas are due to arrive on 4 February and will be unveiled to an eager public after a two week settling-in period - www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

January 2012

  • The King and I (14 December 2011 – 7 January 2012) – See December 2011, above) – Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 2 Leven Street, EH3 9LQ - www.fctt.org.uk
  • Edinburgh's Christmas (24 November 2011 - 4 January 2012) - Edinburgh's city centre Christmas markets and activities (see December 2011, above) - www.edinburghschristmas.com
  • Dundedin Consort (6 January 2012) - With John Butt at the helm, the Dunedin Consort have won a reputation as one of the world's best Baroque ensembles. Here they tackle - Queens Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG - www.thequeenshall.net
  • Scottish Ballet - The Sleeping Beauty (11 - 14 January 2012) - Tchaikovsky's take on the beloved fairytale, performed by the accomplished Scottish Ballet. Lavish sets and costumes garnish the performance, complementing the rich and emotional score - Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT - www.fctt.org.uk
  • Banff Mountain Film Festival (27 January 2012) - The world's premiere mountain film festival takes place in the mountain sports mecca of Banff in Alberta, Canada. This year, however, it's also touring the UK. Expect to see the best new adventure films, from visually stunning and adrenaline-charged action pieces right through to contemplative documentaries - Queens Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG - www.thequeenshall.net

February 2012

  • RBS Six Nations: Scotland v England (4 February 2012) - As sporting rivalries go, this one certainly has a heritage. Come and see the oldest international rugby fixture in the home of Scottish rugby; soak up the atmosphere as the crowds walk from the city centre to Murrayfield, going right past the Apex European Hotel - Rugby Breaks in Edinburgh
  • Kaiser Chiefs (9 February 2012) - Rabble-rousing indie rock from the men who predicted a riot - HMV Picture House, 31 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2DJ - http://venues.meanfiddler.com/hmv-picture-house/home
  • Scottish Opera - Hansel and Gretel (14, 16, 18 February 2012) - Humperdinck's folksy 19th century opera based on the Grimm brothers' tale comes to Edinburgh, featuring a brand new translation - Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT - www.fctt.org.uk
  • Of Mice and Men (17 February - 17 March 2012) – John Steinbeck's masterpiece deftly references Robert Burns' poetry in its title, so a run that includes Burns Night seems appropriate. Once banned in much of the US, this is a powerful story of friendship and fragility during the economic depression of the 1920s – Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AX - www.lyceum.org.uk


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