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The Arabian Nights--Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

The Arabian Nights--Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

Join us in the bustling bazaar of Baghdad for this sparkling adventure featuring tales of Sinbad, Ali Baba and mysterious genies, not to mention hidden treasure, a chess-playing monkey, a flying horse and a whole host of heroes and villains. Read more …

Rich with suspense, enchantment, and fun, the ancient tales of The Arabian Nights are irresistible for all ages. Book your seats for a magic carpet ride that will transport your family to the glittering heat of a marvellous faraway land.


The critical consensus

It’s just a shame the play ends on the energy and pace it should have begun on.

***(*)(*)Michael Cox, Across the Arts

Beautiful to look at and clever enough to know when to be stupid, The Arabian Nights at the Lyceum is genuine family Christmas entertainment.

****(*)Hugh Simpson, All Edinburgh Theatre, 01/12/2017

Over-long, this Arabian Nights is so plodding and worthy it strips away all the fun and magic from what should be a fast-paced adventure. Disappointing.

Liam Rudden, Edinburgh Evening News, 01/12/2017

A thrilling script and clever set give these ancient tales a dazzling new charm.

****(*)Clare Brennan, The Observer, 03/12/2017

The heroine’s life isn’t at stake in this family-friendly production, but it’s a dizzying compendium that gets to the emotional heart of why we tell tales.

***(*)(*)Mark Fisher, The Guardian, 03/12/2017

Scheherezade’s own story comes full circle creating redemption without a cheesy and predictable wedding ending, making the all-round gloriously entertaining piece of ensemble theatre that is The Arabian Nights a treat for all ages. It hits every note and is literally fabulous!

*****Irene Brown, Edinburgh Guide, 02/12/2017

The show is a real achievement: an exhilarating magic carpet ride through a cornucopia of storytelling.

*****Allan Radcliffe, 01/12/2017

There might not be a great deal in this production for adults, but if you bring the kids and wind your sense of humour out a couple of notches, you’ll not be disappointed.

***(*)(*)Ben Reiss, Plays to See, 03/12/2017

Joe Douglas’s production often fails to bring all its excellent strands together into a convincing whole.

***(*)(*)Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman, 03/12/2017

With plenty of kid-friendly fart jokes, fast-paced songs and cross-dressing (both male and female) glittery campness, The Arabian Nights is a delightful and magical festive show. Another Lyceum Christmas winner.

****(*)Sarah Mcintosh, The Wee Review, 02/12/2017

Cheeky, engaging, funny and intensely talented, the whole cast deserves commendation.

****(*)Emily Hall, The Reviews Hub, 04/12/2017

Beyond it’s toilet humour, El-Bushra's script is laced with pop-savvy smarts in a rapid-fire fantasia that joins the dots to illustrate how everything real or imagined connects up to create a global village of a play.

****(*)Neil Cooper, Coffee-Table Notes, 04/12/2017

The overall result is a show that’s full of surprises, and just enough of a theatrical challenge for both children and adults alike.

****(*)Paul F Cockburn, Broadway Baby, 05/12/2017

A magic carpet ride of enchanting stories, loveable characters, and plenty of silliness.

****(*)Clare McVay, The List, 11/12/2017

Providing entertainment suitable for all the family that sits somewhere between high and low brow isn’t an easy task, but The Arabian Nights achieves just that, in suitably magical style.

****(*)Tamarin Fountain, The Skinny, 03/01/2018


Features about The Arabian Nights--Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh presents: The Arabian Nights

John Kennedy, The Edinburgh Reporter, 11/11/2017

Arabian Nights offers a taste of festive adventure

Gareth K Vile, The List, 17/11/2017

Where and when?

Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh from Saturday November 25, 2017, until Saturday January 6, 2018. More info: www.lyceum.org.uk

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