Festival Theatre Edinburgh
The Festival Theatre is Edinburgh's largest theatre, holding 1,915 seats on Nicolson Street in the Southside. It is a receiving house — it programmes visiting productions rather than making its own — and is the main Edinburgh address for large-scale touring Shakespeare, opera, and ballet.
Opened in 1994 after converting the shell of the Victorian Empire Theatre (1892), the Festival Theatre is managed by Capital Theatres alongside the King's Theatre. During the Edinburgh International Festival each August, it serves as one of the EIF's main venues. For RSC tours and major National Theatre transfers reaching Edinburgh, this is the first venue to check.
History
The Festival Theatre occupies the shell of the Empire Theatre, built in 1892 on Nicolson Street as a variety and music hall. The Empire hosted entertainment for decades before closing in 1963. After years of disuse, a major redevelopment converted the building into a modern lyric theatre while retaining the Victorian façade. It opened as the Festival Theatre in 1994.
Capital Theatres, the charity that operates Edinburgh's main civic theatres, manages the Festival Theatre alongside the King's Theatre on Leven Street. The building has three auditoriums: the main house (1,915 seats), Studio 1 (around 120 seats), and a smaller studio space. Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet use it as a home venue; visiting companies including the RSC, touring productions, and international companies also perform here.
During the Edinburgh International Festival, the Festival Theatre is one of the EIF's principal venues — the EIF and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe run concurrently in August but are entirely separate events.
Plan Your Visit
Getting There
Edinburgh Waverley station is a 10-minute walk north along Nicolson Street. Multiple Lothian Bus routes stop on Nicolson Street directly outside. The venue is in Edinburgh Southside, a short distance from the Old Town.
Opening Hours
Box office open Monday to Saturday from 10am. The building opens approximately one hour before each performance. Check capitaltheatres.com for current programme and times.
Ticket Prices
Touring productions typically £20–£80 depending on seat and company. Edinburgh International Festival events are priced separately. Premium pricing applies to opening nights and headline productions.
Accessibility
Fully accessible with step-free access throughout the building. Wheelchair spaces in the stalls and circle. Audio description, captioned and BSL performances on selected dates. Contact Capital Theatres in advance for specific requirements.
What's On
Live listings from Ticketmaster — updated daily.
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