Thirty years on from the film that changed everything, Trainspotting the Musical is gearing up for its limited West End run this summer before a major UK tour.
The original Trainspotting film was released in 1996 and became the biggest grossing UK film of the year taking more than $76 million worldwide and won numerous awards including a BAFTA for Best Screenplay. In 1999, it was ranked 10th in the British Film Institute’s ‘Top 100 Greatest British Films of the 20th Century’.
Now, three decades later, the industrial drug crazed working-class heroes of British youth culture are back, live on stage in musical form. Trainspotting Live has enjoyed numerous runs and returns to Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year – this musical production is separate.
In the musical, Renton (played in the film by Ewan McGregor) will be played by 26-year old Scottish actor Robbie Scott. He will be joined by fellow Scottish actors Sheridan Townsley as Sick Boy, Kieran Andrew as Spud, Frankie O’Connor as Begbie, Finlay Paul as Tommy, Rebecca McKinnis as Cathy Renton, Gordon Cooper as Davie Renton, Ashley J. Russell as Colleen, Rosie Dignan as Alison, Yana Harris as Kelly and Sophie Hutchinson as Lizzie.
The ensemble comprises of Ally Kennard, Kieran Brown, Melanie Marshall, Lewis Kidd, Samuel Stewart, Finlay McKillop, Ciara Ennis, Victoria Nicol, Kyra Fyvie and Chris O’Mara.
Trainspotting the Musical is written by Irvine Welsh, directed and developed by Caroline Jay Ranger and has music and lyrics by Stephen McGuinness and Irvine Welsh. Also in the creative team are set and costume designer Colin Richmond; musical supervisor, orchestrator and music director Stuart Morley; lighting designer Ian Scott; video designer Douglas O’Connell; sound designer Rory Madden for Sonalyst; choreographer Christina Andrea; associate director Denise Ranger; hair, wig and make-up designer Helen Keane for Campbell Young Associates; and casting director Anne Vosser.
Trainspotting the Musical opens at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End on 15th July 2026 and will run until 5th July 2026.
The show will then travel to Edinburgh Playhouse where it plays from 19th to 24th October 2026, before touring to Sheffield City Hall, Manchester Palace Theatre, Grand Opera House York, Hull New Theatre, Ipswich Regent Theatre, Birmingham Alexandra, Leeds Grand Theatre, Blackpool Opera House, Stoke Regent Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Bradford Live, Oxford New Theatre, Sunderland Empire, Dunfermline Alhambra Theatre, Brighton Dome and Glasgow Theatre Royal.
