Trainspotting the Musical to have world premiere at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Published on 24 March 2026
- Trainspotting the Musical to have its world premiere at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
- Trainspotting the Musical is written by Irvine Welsh, directed and developed by Caroline Jay Ranger, with music and lyrics by Welsh and Stephen McGuinness.
- Robbie Scott will make his West End debut as Renton.
Forget London Waterloo, Paddington and Euston, there’s only one place to go trainspotting this summer, and it’s the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Trainspotting the Musical will have its world premiere on 15 July 2026.
The show is written by Irvine Welsh, based on his groundbreaking novel, and features music and lyrics created in collaboration with Stephen McGuinness.
Commenting on today's announcement, Welsh said: “This musical has a bigger, loudly beating human heart than either the book or the film. The various stage adaptations of Trainspotting have become acclaimed and moving theatrical experiences and the soundtrack to the movie is obviously iconic.
“So it made sense to put the music and words together to create an explosive, provocative and entertaining show. People need to think about the world we’re living in, and we offer that inspection, but they also really need to sing their hearts out and laugh their heads off – it’s what being human is all about – and they’ll be well served with this too.”
The musical revisits the lives of Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud, Tommy and Kelly three decades after audiences first met them.
The original 1996 film adaptation, starring Ewan McGregor, became the UK’s highest-grossing film of the year and went on to earn a BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay, cementing its place as a defining moment in British pop culture. Fans of the original will be pleased to hear that the score blends tracks associated with the cult film alongside brand-new material written specifically for the stage.
Newcomer Robbie Scott takes on the role of Renton in his West End debut, with more casting to be revealed.
The creative team includes; set and costume designer Colin Richmond, musical supervisor, orchestrator and music director Stuart Morley, video designer Douglas O’Connell, choreographer Christina Andrea, lighting designer Ian Scott, sound designer Rory Madden for Sonalyst, associate director Denise Ranger and casting director Anne Vosser.
