Thirty years after the iconic Trainspotting changed British cinema, Irvine Welsh’s story is heading to the Oxford stage in a new musical adaptation.
Trainspotting: The Musical will play New Theatre Oxford from Monday 15 February to Saturday 20 February 2027, as part of a major UK and Ireland tour following its world premiere in London’s West End. The Oxford run is one of just a handful of English dates in early 2027 and will bring one of the most iconic stories of the 1990s to the city in a very different form.
What is Trainspotting: The Musical about?
Written by Irvine Welsh, with music and lyrics by Stephen McGuinness and Irvine Welsh, and directed and developed by Caroline Jay Ranger, the production revisits the lives of Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud, Tommy and Kelly — the chaotic, damaged and darkly funny outsiders at the heart of Welsh’s original novel and Danny Boyle’s 1996 film.
According to the official production site, this new version is not simply a nostalgic reworking of the film. Instead, it sets out to revisit the story in the light of the present day, with Welsh describing it as a piece that looks at “the world we’re living in” while still giving audiences a big, emotional night out.
What is the show about?
Trainspotting: The Musical follows Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud, Tommy and Kelly as they try to survive addiction, poverty, violence and friendship in a world that offers very few clean answers. The musical combines brand-new songs with the story’s familiar dark humour, anger and emotional intensity, turning Irvine Welsh’s cult novel into a live stage production for the first time.
From West End world premiere to UK tour
Before it reaches Oxford, the musical will have its world premiere at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, where it runs from 15 July to 5 September 2026. The official tour site then lists a UK and Ireland run beginning at the Edinburgh Playhouse in October 2026, before moving through major regional venues including Sheffield, Manchester, York, Birmingham, Nottingham, Cardiff and Glasgow.
That gives the Oxford date some added weight. Audiences here will be seeing the show relatively early in its national run, after it has had its first life in the West End but before the tour reaches many of its later 2027 stops.
What Oxford audiences need to know
The official ATG tour listing gives the running time as 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval. The current age guidance is 15+. The West End listing also states that the production contains scenes and depictions of drug taking and death, swearing and adult references, which gives a strong indication of the kind of material audiences should expect.
For local theatre-goers, the Oxford run is scheduled from 15 to 20 February 2027 at New Theatre Oxford. It is a limited run, so anyone interested is likely to want to book early once the performance schedule opens fully.
Who is in the cast?
The official production website currently lists the cast for the world premiere production, led by Robbie Scott as Renton, alongside Sheridan Townsley as Sick Boy, Kieran Andrew as Spud, Frankie O’Connor as Begbie, Finlay Paul as Tommy and Yana Harris as Kelly.
The wider company also includes Rebecca McKinnis, Gordon Cooper, Ashley J. Russell, Rosie Dignan, Sophie Hutchinson, Ally Kennard, Kieran Brown, Melanie Marshall, Lewis Kidd, Samuel Stewart, Finlay McKillop, Ciara Ennis, Victoria Nicol and Chris O’Mara.
As with many large tours, casting can change over time, so Oxford audiences should check venue listings closer to the run for the most up-to-date performance information.
At a glance
Show: Trainspotting: The Musical
Venue: New Theatre Oxford
Dates: Monday 15 February to Saturday 20 February 2027
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval
Age guidance: 15+
Based on: Irvine Welsh’s novel Trainspotting
Tickets: On sale via New Theatre Oxford
Full UK and Ireland tour dates
| Dates | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 19 – 24 October 2026 | Edinburgh Playhouse | Edinburgh |
| 26 – 31 October 2026 | Sheffield City Hall | Sheffield |
| 2 – 7 November 2026 | Manchester Palace Theatre | Manchester |
| 9 – 14 November 2026 | York Grand Opera House | York |
| 16 – 21 November 2026 | Hull New Theatre | Hull |
| 25 – 28 November 2026 | Ipswich Regent Theatre | Ipswich |
| 30 November – 5 December 2026 | The Alexandra | Birmingham |
| 7 – 12 December 2026 | Leeds Grand Theatre | Leeds |
| 14 – 19 December 2026 | Blackpool Opera House | Blackpool |
| 5 – 9 January 2027 | Regent Theatre | Stoke-on-Trent |
| 11 – 16 January 2027 | His Majesty’s Theatre | Aberdeen |
| 18 – 23 January 2027 | Theatre Royal | Nottingham |
| 25 – 30 January 2027 | Wales Millennium Centre | Cardiff |
| 1 – 6 February 2027 | Cliffs Pavilion | Southend |
| 8 – 13 February 2027 | Bradford Live | Bradford |
| 15 – 20 February 2027 | New Theatre Oxford | Oxford |
| 22 – 27 February 2027 | Sunderland Empire | Sunderland |
| 1 – 6 March 2027 | Alhambra Theatre | Dunfermline |
| 9 – 13 March 2027 | Brighton Dome | Brighton |
| 15 – 20 March 2027 | Theatre Royal Glasgow | Glasgow |
FAQs
When is Trainspotting: The Musical in Oxford?
The show runs at New Theatre Oxford from Monday 15 February to Saturday 20 February 2027.
How long is the show?
The official ATG tour listing gives a running time of 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval.
What age is it suitable for?
The current age guidance is 15+.
Who wrote the musical?
The show is written by Irvine Welsh, with music and lyrics by Stephen McGuinness and Irvine Welsh.
Is this the first stage adaptation of Trainspotting?
Yes. The production is being presented as the world premiere stage adaptation before heading out on a UK and Ireland tour.
Tickets for the Oxford run are on sale now via New Theatre Oxford.
