Trainspotting - The Musical Review: a fearless alternative for the West End
- Jack Davey
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
23 July 2026 I 19:30 I Theatre Royal Haymarket, London (followed by a UK Tour)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
First came Irvine Welsh's novel in 1993. Then the film adaptation, directed by Danny Boyle in 1996. It was an era-defining story that gave a voice to working-class youth, with a gritty honesty and de-romanticism of heroin addiction. Now in 2026, we have Trainspotting - The Musical, debuting at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket.
If you've seen the film, you will be familiar with its Britpop soundtrack, with songs including Iggy Pop's Lust For Life and The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony (new addition). Sometimes the recorded tracks are played, and sometimes they are covered live by the cast. In effect, it is a semi-jukebox musical, with original numbers thrown in written by Welsh and Stephen McGuinness. On paper, it doesn't seem an obvious choice to adapt into a musical, yet it gives more clarity to the emotional state of characters and a collective, rebellious edge.
This isn't your traditional piece of musical theatre. It doesn't always prioritise entertainment, as social realism takes the front. I'd call it an 'untidy' musical, but in a way that compliments its anti-establishment aesthetic. The rhythm of Welsh and McGuinness' music is irregular, it's lyrically profane, and there isn't a sweeping eleven o'clock number. Yet they make it work. In Rolling With The Punches, Renton breaks out into song as Spud asks if this is really happening, or if it's all an absurd trip.
The Eckies And The Brown (or more affectionately named C*nts In The Country) is a lively highlight to the score, as the ensemble turn into leg-slapping countrymen. Caroline Jay Ranger's choreography is both primal and expressively human, that is grounded rather than excessive. And Yana Harris (Kelly) is magnetic in musical numbers: she embraces the fun in Ranger's movement, in-turn allowing audiences to trust in her joy.
The primary group of characters aren't wholly likeable in their self-destructive tendencies, but you can't help sympathising with their circumstance. Thrown into the role following the lead's injury in rehearsals, Lewis Kidd is an introspective and articulate Renton. He often breaks the fourth wall, allowing us insight and the ability to build a deeper resonance with him. Kieran Andrew's Spud is remarkably animated, occasionally too much for a realism, though proves a real talent in getting laughs with his bizarre melodrama.
Being set in Scotland, the accents vary in strength, the most intense coming from Frankie O'Connor as Begbie. It depends how familiar you are with it, and with local dialect. I understood the likes of bairns and pish, but O'Connor's accent is a challenge, catching every other word. However as the 'psychopathic', brutish hard man, his physicality makes for an intimidating, though respectable figure.
Made up of steel scaffolding and framework, Colin Richmond's set design nods towards an industrial nineties Edinburgh, on the cusp of modern redevelopment with video screens. These are best utilised in the 'toilet scene', when Renton climbs into toilet water to retrieve a missing pill. Playing a pre-recorded underwater scene filmed with Kidd, the sequence is mesmerising, an impressive testament to the team's dedication.
The motherly ballad One Skin Too Few, sung beautifully by Ashley J. Russell (Colleen), and later reprised by Rebecca McKinnis (Cathy), really slows the pace and allows heart in. It's a shame that Melanie Marshall is underused as The Call Of Heroin. Tucked into a tunnel of the stage, her presence as a vocalist is pushed away to the point she is barely noticed. Marshall's conceptual character could have been taken further to refine the show's musicality.
Disclaimer: I have never read Irvine Welsh's original novel, nor Boyle's film (child of the noughties!). Sometimes I prefer to go into shows blind, and perhaps it works in my favour tonight, with many critics having slated this production based on their comparisons of the material. Is it a perfect premiere? Not necessarily, but being overly perfect would ruin it. Criticising the Hollywood idealism of substance abuse and heartache of HIV/AIDS, it's uncomfortable, but Trainspotting - The Musical still holds authority.
Trainspotting - The Musical Information & Tickets (London and UK Tour): https://trainspottingthemusical.co.uk/
