SPACE Theatre

The SPACE Theatre in Musselburgh is a working community venue that punches well above its weight for a town this size. It's the sort of place where you'll catch proper theatre - amateur productions, touring shows, comedy nights - rather than the polished West End stuff. The building itself is functional rather than grand, but that's rather the point: this is theatre for locals, by locals.

You'll want to ring ahead or check their schedule online before planning an evening around it, as programming varies wildly depending on what's on. Comedy acts tend to draw crowds, and the amateur dramatic society productions are genuinely worth catching if you're the type who enjoys that raw, enthusiastic energy. It's not the place for your kids if they've got short attention spans, but if you're after proper live performance rather than a tourist attraction, it delivers.

If you're staying at Drummohr Camping & Glamping Site just down the road - a genuinely lovely spot, that one - the theatre is an easy drive for an evening out. Musselburgh itself has decent enough pubs and chip shops for pre-show food. The town's nothing flashy, but it's got character. Allow a couple of hours from arrival to curtain call, accounting for parking and a drink beforehand.

It's absolutely worth investigating if live theatre appeals to you, particularly if you're spending a week in East Lothian. Real community venues like this are increasingly rare.