The Grand Old Lady is back
The King's closed in 2022. It reopened four years and 1,252 days later, having been taken apart and rebuilt around its own Edwardian bones.
The numbers are remarkable - more than 1,370 people across 160 organisations — but the details are better. The fly tower has been raised so the stage can take the productions that used to bypass Edinburgh entirely. The old raked stage has been replaced with a level one. There are lifts, permanent wheelchair spaces, step-free access to both stalls and stage for the first time in the building's history, and Changing Places facilities, making a Grade A listed 1906 theatre one of the most accessible heritage buildings in the country.
And the things worth keeping were kept: the stained glass in the doors, the decorative plasterwork, and John Byrne's painted dome overhead. There is a new Pit Bar excavated beneath the stalls, and a café open daily.
It is the only surviving working theatre designed by Swanston and Davidson, and it has been part of this neighbourhood since 1906. Having it dark for four years was strange. Having it back is better.
What's On This Season
- Chariots of Fire | 15–19 September 2026
- The Steamie | 5–10 October 2026
- Operation Mincemeat | 2–7 November 2026
- The Adventures of Pinocchio (the King's Panto) | 28 November 2026 – 17 January 2027
- A Toast Fae The Lassies | 24 January 2027
- By Royal Appointment | 26–30 January 2027
- Paranormal Activity | 2–6 February 2027
- São Paulo Dance Company | 12–13 February 2027
The one to book early is the panto. The Adventures of Pinocchio brings Allan Stewart,Grant Stott and Jordan Young back to the King's for the first pantomime in its spiritual home since 2021, and the first time the title has been staged here.It runs for seven weeks from 28 November. Christmas-week performances will go first.
Eating before the show
The awkward part of a theatre evening is usually the hour before it. You want to eat properly but not slowly, you do not want to watch the clock, and you do not want a fifteen-minute walk in the rain at either end.
Our pre-theatre set menu is two courses from £25 per person, served at The Neighbourhood, and you can book it online - choose the pre-theatre option when you reserve. Allow about an hour from sitting down to settling up.
It runs everyday, not only on King's show nights, because the Usher Hall, the Playhouse, the Festival Theatre and the Lyceum are all a short walk or a few minutes on the bus from here. We are five minutes from the King's, which is closer than any other hotel restaurant manages, but the menu is there whichever theatre you are heading to.
Fairy-lit garden with heated booths and blankets for the shoulder months, a proper fire indoors for the winter ones, and a bar that stays open after the curtain comes down — which matters, because most kitchens near Tollcross have stopped serving by the time you come out.
See the Pre-Theatre Menu and book a table
Staying the night
There is a particular pleasure in walking home from the theatre in five minutes rather than working out the last bus. The Bruntsfield looks over Bruntsfield Links, a short walk up from the King's, with the Meadows on one side and the independent shops of Bruntsfield and Morningside on the other.
For the panto run especially, it makes an easy family weekend matinee at two, the lights on Princes Street after dark, and everyone back in the same building by nine.
How far is the King's Theatre from The Bruntsfield?
About fiveminutes on foot. The theatre is on Leven Street, which is the continuationof Bruntsfield Place, so it is a straight walk down the same road — no hills,no crossings of any consequence, and well lit.
Where can I eat before a show at the King's Theatre?
TheNeighbourhood at The Bruntsfield is the closest hotel restaurant to the theatre, a five-minute walk, with a pre-theatre set menu at two courses from £25 per person, bookable online and served every day. The theatre's own café and the new Pit Bar are open for lighter options and drinks before curtain.
What time should I eat before the theatre?
Allow aboutan hour for two courses, plus your walking time. For a 7.30pm curtain atthe King's, a 6pm table gives you an unhurried dinner and a five-minute walkdown with time to spare. For a 2pm matinee, book for around 12.30. If you areheading to the Usher Hall or the Playhouse, add fifteen to twenty minutes forthe journey.
Is the King's Theatre accessible?
Yes, and substantially more so than before. The redevelopment added lifts, permanent wheelchair spaces in the auditorium, step-free access to both the stalls andthe stage, and Changing Places toilets. It is now among the most accessible heritage theatres in the UK. Capital Theatres also offer access ticket discounts, including for companions.
When is the panto at the King's Theatre in 2026?
TheAdventures of Pinocchio runs from 28 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. Itstars Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young, and it is the firstpantomime at the King's since 2021. Performances run most days with matinee andevening shows; the dates between Christmas and New Year sell fastest.
Where should I park for the King's Theatre?
If your staying at the hotel, car parking can be arranged with the hotel in advance of your stay. You won't need to car to get the theatre as it's just a few minutes' walk away.
