Hysterically Funny AND Stomach Churning!
“Ok, Just a little pinprick
There’ll be no more
Lyric from Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb
Trainspotting Live, showing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the stage version of Irvine Welsh’s novel which first played in Glasgow in 1994 and later at Dan Crawford’s King’s Head Theatre, Islington in 1996. Welsh’s novel was adapted by Danny Boyle into a film Trainspotting released in February 1996.
The film, set in the 1980s, starred Ewan McGregor playing Renton, the orator of the play, being chased by a Security Guard down Princes Street, Edinburgh after shoplifting, to a pumping sound track. It introduced characters such as Renton played here by Andrew Barrett, Tommy (Greg Esplin), Sick Boy (Craig McDougal) and Oliver Sublet as the utter psycho Begbie. There are more female parts in this production such as Alice Glass who plays June & Alison.,
Put on at the Pleasance EICC in Edinburgh, there were plenty of seats all filled on the night I saw, and two performances every day. There are two sets of tiered seats facing each other with a cleared level stage area in the middle without a set. As you come in, the music is blasting, strobe lights are turned up to maximum. We are in a club where most of the cast appear to be on drugs.
Renton the story teller, introduces himself in a broad Scottish accent and recounts the story. For those who have not seen the film it is important to point out that, at the start, there is some very strong, gross, in your face humour, including using audience members and yes, there is a search for lost suppositories
However, and this comes later, Trainspotting is about heroin addiction, it may be thought this glorifies taking smack, it doesn’t. We see random acts of violence towards women, one being full term pregnant. Nothing seems to get through to the characters, even when a woman is sobbing her heart out at the death of her baby. The only thing that helps her is the offer of a hit.
It would be a shame to divulge the ending but to say it does not recommend drug use. This is a hard watch, very funny in parts, put on by excellent cast members. I have to say that I saw four audience members leave during the performance, never to return, but also at the end everybody was on their feet clapping. This visceral show gets five stars from Theatrevibe, the site that doesn’t give stars.
Not suitable for children under 16.
Note: The images may feature actors from the 2024 production.
Editor of TheatreVibe.co.uk
See ABOUT US
Production Notes
Trainspotting Live!
Written by Irvine Welsh
Adapted by Harry Gibson
Directed by
Adam Spreadbury Mayer, Greg Espin, Ben Anderson
Cast
Starring:
Andrew Barratt
Greg Esplin
Alice Glass
Craig McDougal
Oliver Sublet
Creatives
Director:
Adam Spreadbury Mayer,
Greg Espin,
Ben Anderson
Lighting Designer: Clancy Flynn
Intimacy Director: Michele Gallagher
Sound Director: Tom Lishman
Producers
James Seabright
King’s Head Theatre
In Your Face Theatre
Information
Running Time: One hour 20 minutes
Booking to 24th August 2025
Venue:
Pleasance at EICC
The Exchange,
150 Morrison Street
Edinburgh,
EH3 8EE
Various Times
Reviewed by Malcolm Beckett
at Pleasance EICC on 12th August 2025
at the 6.30pm performance