Trainspotting Live, Cromdale Tunnel at Pleasance at EICC Review

Trainspotting Live is immersive theatre like no other. The audience doesn’t just watch but are thrown headfirst into the chaos. From the moment we stepped into The Tunnel at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, the thumping pulse of 90s techno already set the scene  for an unrelenting, adrenaline-fuelled experience. 

This is not a show for the faint-hearted. If you’re in the wrong seat, you may find yourself covered in toilet water, or have actors bent over in front of you completely naked causing hilarity in the crowd or perhaps it’s being inches away from a character shooting up heroin causing an uncomfortable moment as the crowd watch on in eerie silence, either way this production is hilarious, harrowing, shocking and gloriously alive.

The staging surrounds us, with the strong cast of five keeping the energy at fever pitch. At times, depending on where you sit, you may lose parts of the action, with some key scenes easier to hear than to see. This occasionally pulls back the emotional punch, as actors are forced to project tenderness into shouts.

The script is more of a “greatest hits” of Irvine Welsh’s story rather than a fully fleshed-out narrative. Without some familiarity with the book or film, moments can feel disjointed. The immersive format adds both brilliance and chaos – actors chat directly to audience members while others deliver monologues, creating a messy but strangely authentic texture, like the world of Trainspotting itself.

What lingers most, however, is not the grime or the laughs, although there are plenty of both; it’s the sadness. The production captures addiction with brutal honesty, offering a portrayal that is unflinching, unsentimental, and deeply human.

Bold, shocking, and unforgettable, Trainspotting Live is theatre that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave.

Trainspotting Live is playing twice a night from now until the 24th at the EICC.

★ ★ ★ ★