This new musical plays it too safe and never captures the soul of Trainspotting.
⭐⭐
What's it about?
Based on Irvine Welsh's iconic Trainspotting universe, Trainspotting: The Musical is more than a straightforward stage adaptation of the cult film. Instead, it draws together elements from the original novel, the 1996 film and the prequel Skagboys, expanding the world with familiar faces alongside new characters and backstories.
Set in 1990s Edinburgh, the musical follows Mark Renton and his circle of friends as they navigate addiction, friendship, love and self-destruction. Blending songs synonymous with the film with newly written material, the production explores the highs and devastating lows of addiction while broadening the narrative beyond what many audiences will remember from the screen.
What we loved
The production has a confident visual style creating the aesthetic of a live music video. Video projection is used throughout, although from where we were sitting we were too close to gain the full impact of the set and overall design.
Fans of the original story may enjoy seeing many of the familiar characters brought to the stage, while the inclusion of new characters allows the musical to explore fresh perspectives within the world of Trainspotting.
Anything we'd change?
Full disclosure, I have not seen the film, so there may be aspects to the show that are particularly appealing to those more familiar with the material. That said, the production's biggest challenge is one inherited from its source material. Dramatically, there isn't a particularly strong narrative drive. Much of the story revolves around cycles of addiction, with characters taking drugs, relapsing and, ultimately, some dying. As a result, the show lacks the clear character arcs that help audiences invest emotionally in the journey.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the central characters never feel quite as dangerous or unpredictable as expected. Given the reputation of Trainspotting, there is an expectation that these characters will be wild, chaotic and completely unhinged providing an exciting dense of danger to the production. Instead, many scenes feel oddly controlled, muting the sense of volatility that should sit at the heart of the story.
The emotional impact also never fully lands. Despite dealing with profoundly tragic events—including the death of a baby—the production struggles to generate genuine emotional connection. Rather than feeling devastated alongside the characters, there remains a sense of distance.
One staging choice felt slightly strange. Vocalists were often singing "off stage" in a side section of the set, giving the impression there was another show going on that you couldn't quite see. It was an interesting concept, but I'm not sure it fully landed, and at times it felt more distracting than intriguing.
Part of this comes from the writing of the musical itself. While the songs are energetic and atmospheric, very few function as true character songs that reveal what is happening beneath the surface. They rarely become the characters' inner voices, offering insight into their fears, grief or hopes. Without those deeper emotional windows, it becomes difficult to truly know the characters on stage or understand the pain driving their choices.
Who would enjoy it?
Fans of the film and Irvine Welsh's original story may appreciate revisiting these iconic characters in a new medium.
Who created it?
Trainspotting: The Musical is written by Irvine Welsh, based on his landmark novel, with music and lyrics by Stephen McGuinness and Irvine Welsh. The world premiere production is directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, lighting by Ian Scott, video design by Douglas O'Connell, sound design by Rory Madden, musical supervision, orchestrations and musical direction by Stuart Morley, choreography and additional movement by Christina Andrea, associate direction by Denise Ranger, and casting by Anne Vosser.
Verdict
Unfortunately Trainspotting: The Musical never successfully recreates the attitude, music and visual identity of its source material, or unlocks the emotional depth needed to make the audience truly care about the characters inhabiting it. A missed opportunity.