DARK EDINBURGH

The autumn nights might be closing in, but Scotland’s capital is still filled with entertainment for everyone.

Laughs all around

Even though Edinburgh is taken over by a cavalcade of comedy during the Fringe in August, the rest of the year is definitely not devoid of laughs. The Edinburgh Playhouse and the Festival Theatre – the two biggest theatrical venues in the capital – are home to even bigger comedy names in the coming months, such as Rob Brydon (Sep 14), Sarah Millican (Sep 22-23), Joe Lycett (Nov 7) and Dara Ó Briain (Nov 16).

Try it… If you dare

As autumn encroaches, the chills that start to creep into the city set the mood for Halloween, and thanks to its dark past Edinburgh provides the perfect backdrop for such festivities. Mercat Tours explore some of this history with a variety of events, such as Ghostly Underground (Aug 23-Apr 1) and Doomed, Dead and Buried (Aug 23-Apr 1). If street theatre and Celtic tradition are more to your taste, you can’t miss the Samhuinn Fire Festival (Oct 31), which tells the story of summer being overthrown by winter.

Little fun

Youngsters are not excluded from all the fun, and there are plenty of events to keep them occupied. Cirque Berserk has a short stint at the EICC (Aug 23-26), with jugglers, acrobats and plenty more circus acts. Or, if all they want to do is play around, Mini Zoomers (Aug 24-Dec 21) offers sensory play and activities for children under the age of five, while the Little Monsters Sports Club (Sep 16-Oct 21) is filled with themed sports play for children ages 5-7.

Holiday Cheer

If you miss the hustle and bustle of the summer festivals then Edinburgh’s Christmas (Nov 16-Jan 5) is just what you need, with plenty of craft stalls where you can find the perfect gift for that picky person in your life. For a break from all that, there’s nothing better than a good panto, and this year Allan Stewart, Andy Gray and Grant Stott join forces once more for Beauty and the Beast (Dec 1-Jan 20).

Music to your ears

The capital city has a longstanding heritage of live music, and this autumn it welcomes a vast range of visiting performers. Highlights include Garbage at the Festival Theatre (Sep 4), Biffy Clyro at Usher Hall (Sep 21), Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert at The Pleasance (Oct 26), The Rezillos at La Belle Angèle (Oct 19) and KT Tunstall playing new material at The Liquid Room (Sep 28).