Trainspotting Live has a reputation to behold, with nine years of sell-out Fringe runs and Irvine Welsh himself saying it’s ‘better than either the book or film’. The show is deserving of every star it has ever received and more. The atmosphere at the EICC is buzzing with expectations, stewards replace tickets with glow sticks and usher audience members towards a darkened space with heavy dance music and flashing lights. From the moment the cast welcome their audience onto their raving set, Trainspotting Live draws you in like a moth to a flame, only to set you ablaze and turn it all to ash. The cast bring their world alive, pulling the audience into every moment of joy, love, loss and fear.
It all begins with contagiously high energy, the characters are literally off their rockers, and they had the audience in hysterics over toilet humour, swinging cocks and sex stories. This show does not hold back, it’s loud and proud, completely unashamed, vulgar and gritty.
The traverse staging intimately exposed every detail on the face of each cast member, and with no distance for them to hide behind, it was the best performance I’ve seen all Fringe. The cast are phenomenal; Andrew Barret played Renton with such layered cheeky wit, vulnerability and avoidance that he might just have outplayed the great Ewan McGregor.
Special acknowledgement should also go to Clancy Flynn, lighting designer, with strobes that seemed to make the cast move in stop motion, alongside a plethora of beautiful and emotive lighting states throughout the show.
Trainspotting live shows life’s ugly complexities, and the raw truth of what addiction does to a person. It draws you in with a high before it crashes you back down to earth, letting reality hit. The writing so cleverly reflects the protagonist’s emotional journey that just like Renton, you’ll be dumbfounded, at a loss for words by the final scene.
Trainspotting Live is playing at EICC until 30th August 2026 and tickets can be found at https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/trainspotting-live
Reviewer: Ella Beckley
Reviewed: 20th August 2026
North West End UK / Theatre Muse UK Rating:
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